Resurgence
by B1ackbird
Summary: Peace has returned and the dragons begin to rebuild in the new world. Most hope to return to some semblance of a normal, relaxed life. But as old adversaries resurface and threaten to bring chaos to the land, it becomes clear that some dragons can never have a normal life. Updates every 7-10 days.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- Realignment

**A/N- Hello everybody! I am pleased to report that this is my very first fanfiction and is by far one of the longest things I have ever written apart from school essays. It would be nice to see how other people view my writing, so reviews are welcome, but not required. Also I regret to say that I don't know when I'll get the next chapter up, but I will try to soon. I would also like to apologize in advance for any typos that I have missed in this or any future chapters. I have a bad habit of repeating verbs or adjectives too much, so if you see any repetitive statements, feel free to point them out and I will fix them. Hope you enjoy the story!**

The cool wind buffeted Pyrus's wings as he soared across the blissful landscape. Caught off guard, he was blown down a few feet before he could react. He quickly angled his body to compensate and resumed a steady flight, falling back into formation with the other three dragons.

"What's a matter Pyrus? Not able to handle a small breeze?" Pyrus growled at the speaker, the young dragon flying next to him. The other dragon was dark blue except for his chest and wings which were a lighter, more mellow shade. His tail stretched out behind him, gently swaying in the wind before terminating in a sharp point. His face was round and youthful, giving it a childish appearance. Apart from his hazel eyes, which didn't seem to match the color of anything else on his body, the horns were by far his most unusual feature. They were stark white and angled back toward his body until they made an almost comical 90 degree turn upward. Plastered on his face was a maniacal grin that usually meant he was trying his best to get on someone's nerves, and currently, that someone was Pyrus.

"Shut up Connan! I can still fly circles around you any day!" Pyrus retorted angrily.

Connan flapped a few more times and drew closer to Pyrus. He grinned evilly and there was a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Care to back up that claim Pyrus? Or are you too scared of losing to little old me?"

Pyrus was about to tackle the insolent dragon out of the air when the voice of the lead dragon, a dark blue dragon who much larger that the either of them, interrupted.

"Cut it out both of you! We don't have any time for messing around." The large dragon said, craning his neck to level a disapproving glare at the young dragons.

"Come on Dad! We've been flying for hours and I'm bored." Connan whined.

"I don't care. We are on a mission for the guardians and I don't want to let them down, especially because my son could not do something as simple as flying for a few hours without getting bored." The large dragon turned back around and refocused on their flight path as Connan sighed and moved back into formation just ahead of their fourth companion, an older lime green dragon who seemed to want nothing to do with the father-son debate.

Pyrus chuckled and resumed scanning the ground below. Pyrus was what you would consider a normal, nothing special about him dragon. Vibrant red scales covered most of his body and dull gold scales adorned his chest and colored his wing membranes. His tail was thick and muscular even at his young age and extended out behind him until branching out and ending in a trident. He had a square jaw line and a somewhat crude face, but it was his face, so he liked it. His golden horns gently curved back and up from his head, completing his figure.

Suppressing thoughts of what he was going to do to Connan once they got back to Warfang, Pyrus moved his yellow eyes to scan the lushly forested valley below them, resuming the search.

Things had been more than chaotic recently, with the end of the war and everything that had happened. Just two days ago the world had been on the verge of tearing its self apart and now everything was peaceful. Well, mostly peaceful. Pyrus snorted. Although they had suffered horrendous casualties in their siege of Warfang, Malefor's army was still undefeated. Large groups of grublins still roamed the countryside, looking for anything to kill or pillage. The majority of the now leaderless army was still situated around the mountain of Malefor, while Pyrus's patrol was over the calm and serene valley of Avalar. Pyrus grimaced at the thought of doing nothing but flying in a search pattern all day long. He had to agree with Connan here, it was very boring work. And something that was not well suited to his capabilities.

"Don't they think I'm ready to be something more than an errand boy? I'm way more powerful than any creature in the dark army. I would be great if they just gave me a chance!" Pyrus thought angrily. He was sick and tired of the guardians always keeping him away from any real action. Even during the great battle of Warfang, he was sequestered away from the fight to serve as an ammo courier. His eyes clouded over as he remembered the night that the grublins ambushed him and his family while they were fleeing their burning village. He would rip them to pieces with his claws, bash them to with his tail, then burn the rest. But then again, that was probably why his patrol had been assigned over peaceful territory. The guardians always made sure to keep him out of danger. Besides, that wasn't the mission.

He remembered the turning point in the war just three days ago when the legendary purple dragon, Spyro, returned after being absent for three years. There had been hope for the first time in months and Pyrus finally though the end was in sight. The dragons and their allies were heartened by the return of their hero and somehow managed to hold out against Malefor's hordes. Then the great destroyer arose and the world began shaking its self apart. The purple dragon had abandoned them again and Pyrus became convinced that he wouldn't live to see the next day. He hated the thought of himself cowering in those caves, unable to help anyone or do anything. Just like the night his family was killed. It was that feeling of helplessness that he couldn't stand and he would make sure that it would not happen again.

Pyrus looked around, taking in the scenic terrain. Small animals were moving back into their homes and birds were beginning to sing again. Flowers bloomed and grasses gently swayed in the wind. It was so different from the devastation of a few days ago and Pyrus sometimes had a hard time believing that he wasn't dead and in some sort of afterlife. There were floating islands for goodness sakes, and everybody knew that just wasn't natural. But then again, what really was natural anyway?

Pyrus's wandering mind eventually settled on the whole reason that they were out here in the first place. Just yesterday, the guardians gathered up a majority of the remaining dragons while everyone was still getting resettled back into Warfang and instructed them to sweep the landscape for any sign of Spyro, Ignitus, or the black dragoness, Cynder. Pyrus's face hardened at the thought.

Although his family had escaped the early devastation that Cynder had caused, he had heard more than enough tales to make him hate her. Why did the guardians even want her anyway? She hadn't been seen much in the past few years, so maybe she was in hiding. Maybe the guardians wanted to put her on trial for war crimes. But if that was the case, why divide patrols into small groups? It would take a lot more than four dragons to subdue Cynder. Unless they found Spyro first, of course.

Still, Pyrus thought, a smile spreading to his face, this could be his one chance to finally prove him self to the guardians. If he brought down Cynder, maybe they would get off his back about always training all the time and actually let him have a normal life with friends. Well, there was Connan, but he didn't really count as all he ever did was play games or jokes, which was, needless to say, heavily disapproved by his father, Brigan.

Despite being under the guardians care for the past year or so, Pyrus didn't really know Ignitus that well. He always seemed so distant. The other guardians said it was because Ignitus and Spyro were very close and the purple dragon's disappearance had hurt him greatly. It was a pity really. From what Pyrus had heard, there wasn't much that Ignitus could have done. Still, Pyrus hoped the old dragon was still alive and kicking, as he was still one of the kindest and most generous of all the guardians.

As for finding the purple dragon, well, let's just say the Pyrus had a very low opinion of someone who always ran away when people needed him the most.

Pyrus sighed and resigned himself to endless hours of flying, patrolling, and doing nothing...

"Hey Dad, Dad!" Connan suddenly shouted, his head pointed toward a densely forested hillside. "I think I see something!"

"For the last time Connan, we don't have time for any of your funny business!" Brigan turned, sounding even more irritated than before. "If you think you can trick us into setting down just so you can take a break, then you have another thing coming!"

"No, no really, I thought I saw something. Great, now I can't find it again." Connan said as he slowed to a hover, peering around desperately.

"It couldn't possibly be a tree that you saw now, could it?" Pyrus asked, earning him a brief smile from Brigan.

"Hey, at least I don't confuse a bush with a grublin." Connan replied with a grin.

"Hey, it's not my fault, the branches looked like limbs." Pyrus said defensively.

Connan rolled his eyes. "Oh please, next thing you know you'll think that the boulder over there is Terrador."

"I don't see anything." Melano, their fourth dragon, spoke up over the arguing pair.

"Exactly." Brigan growled looking at his son. Connan gulped apprehensively.

Pyrus sighed and ran his eyes over the area that looked identical to everywhere else they had been today. Connan's imagination was probably just acting up. There was nothing there, which meant he would just keep flying and searching and nothing exciting would ever hap...There! For the briefest of instances Pyrus saw a flash of color that didn't match up with anything else in the forest.

"Uh, Mr. Brigan, sir, I see it too." Pyrus said, straining his eyes to make sure of what he was seeing.

"Oh really, where?" Brigan asked. He seemed more prepared to give anything Pyrus said more credibility than anything his own son said. Of course, half of what Connan said was always a joke and the other half some sort of trick or lie.

"Over there in the clearing by that mangy old tree that looks like it got struck by lightning." Pyrus said. It was too far off to be sure, but could this finally be the opportunity he was hoping for? Or was it just a closely clustered clan of similarly colored flowers?

Connan instantly focused on the spot Pyrus described and sighed in relief. "See? Told you it was there." Connan declared triumphantly.

"Sure, but you lost sight of it as soon as you found it, so it doesn't count." Pyrus said, still trying to figure out what exactly he was looking at.

"You're just jealous because I found it first and I'm going to be the first one there." Connan said as he gave a powerful flap and took off with a grin.

"Connan, get back here! We still don't know what it is!" Brigan shouted but his words went unheeded by his son. With a sigh, Brigan took off in pursuit with Pyrus and Melano close behind.

They made good time towards the clearing and landed on the edge only to find Connan hesitantly walking to the small purple object in the center. Pyrus made to follow him but was stopped when Brigan held out a paw.

"Wait. This could be a trap. Stay close and keep your eyes peeled." Brigan said as his eyes warily swept the clearing. Pyrus nodded and fell in behind Brigan. Unlike Connan, Pyrus was all to happy to follow Brigan's orders as he was consider to be one of the best solders in Warfang. If he said to be careful, you had better be careful.

As they got closer, Pyrus could tell more and more details about the purple lump. It was obviously a dragon he could see now, with two tall gold horns similar to his own and two matching gold wings tucked against his back. Could they really of just found the purple dragon, just like that?

Connan was bending over the prone dragon when he suddenly stirred in his sleep, mumbling some nonsensical phrase. Connan jumped, then turned back to the the rest of the patrol, who were still only about half-way across the clearing. Ignoring the harsh stare directed his way by Brigan, he shouted, "Hey guys! I think he's waking up."

Brigan made a low growl, angry at his son's obliviousness to danger. He remained at the same, slow pace however, still flanked by Pyrus and Melano.

"All clear on this side." Melano muttered, breaking the now complete silence.

"Yeah, I got nothing." Pyrus said, redirecting his attention to the purple mass that was now visibly moving around in an attempt to wake up.

Brigan performed a final check around the clearing before saying,"Very well, if this is an ambush, we ought to have enough time to take off before they reach us. I want you two to remain alert though." Pyrus and Melano nodded and resumed watching the tree line for movement.

"I can't believe it! I, Connan, am the first one to find the great purple dragon!" Connan declared as he stood over the the still unconscious body of Spyro. Brigan strode up to the purple dragon and matter-a-factly hit the back of Connan's head with his wing tip.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Connan said, rubbing the sore spot with one paw. "What did I do?"

"For breaking formation without do cause and disobeying direct orders. But I'll deal with you later, we have more pressing matters at the moment." Connan nodded and backed away, knowing now was not the time to argue with his father.

Spyro groaned and slowly lifted his head, blinking his eyes in the unexpected sunlight. "What? Where am I?" He said, slowly looking around with a look of confusion etched on his face. As his sleeping mind slowly booted up, a new thought entered his head, causing him to bolt upright. "Where's Cynder?"

"Take it easy young dragon, you've been through a lot." Brigan said consolingly. "Rest a minuet and get your thoughts in order, we need to know what happened if we're going to help you."

Spyro nodded and focused on the scene around him, taking in the three other dragons still standing around him in a circle. They all looked both concerned for him and at the same time alert for any possible attack. Sighing, Spyro took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He reflected on the last memories that he had: watching Malefor being sucked into the crystal prison, the world shaking and shuddering as its end came near, the vision of Ignitus that appeared to help give him piece of mind and a new purpose, of Cynder pledging to stay with him, and finally of the great flash of light as he restored the world. That last memory nagged at him, almost as if he was leaving out something important. But he could figure that out later, right now, he had to find Cynder and make sure she was safe.

"We need to find Cynder and quick." Spyro said, staring up at the larger dragon.

Brigan's brow crinkled in concern at this. "Was she with you when you were last conscious?"

"Yes, she was." Spyro replied. He looked around as if expecting to see her pop up any second.

"Hmmmmm. Then it would be expected that she would end up in the same place." Brigan said, deep in thought. He then turned to address Connan, who was still dejectedly rubbing the back of his head. "Connan, did you see anyone else when you first arrived here?"

"No Dad, I mean no sir. He was the only thing here, sir." Connan said, wisely choosing not to aggravate his father any further today.

Pyrus snorted angrily. Why were they wasting time trying to find a traitor and a monster? The way Brigan and Spyro were talking it sounded like they expected her to greet them like old friends. If even half the stories about her were true, then she would kill them all without a second thought. There was something that he was not being let in on here and he didn't like it.

Brigan looked up, coming out of his rumination and quickly shot out orders. "Pyrus, Connan, do a quick sweep of the area and see if Cynder is anywhere in the immediate vicinity. Come back in an hour if you don't find anything." The two dragons nodded and prepared to take off.

"I'll help too." Spyro said as he slowly struggled to his feet. He stood there for a moment, legs quivering, before collapsing again from sheer exhaustion.

"I don't think so young dragon. I have never seen anyone as exhausted as you. Still, can't say I'm surprised considering what ever you must of done." Brigan smiled gently at Spyro before turning his head to look at the motley group. "Melano!"

"Yes sir?" The green dragon replied as he trotted up to his superior.

"You have medical training, don't you?" Brigan asked, staring intensely at the the green dragon.

Melano gulped nervously and shifted on his feet. "Very basic, but yes, I do sir."

Brigan nodded. "Excellent, then do a quick physical on our friend here to make sure he has nothing worse than a few cuts or scrapes."

Melano nodded and made his way over to Spyro, who was lying defeated in the grass, silently fuming over his inability to do anything to help Cynder.

"Don't you have something to do?" Pyrus looked up to see Brigan giving him a hard stare, with one of his eyebrows raised in an expecting manner. Pyrus took off without further delay, hoping that he could avoid being stuck with what ever punishment assuredly awaited Connan upon return to Warfang. As the clearing diminished in size and Connan became a rapidly disappearing speck traveling in the opposite direction, Pyrus thought back on what happened in the last few minuets. Although they had succeeded and found one of the missing dragons, Pyrus some how knew that this was far from over.

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It was all quiet now except for the occasional, tentative bird song. For the first time in months, peace and quiet reined in the secluded mountain valley. Half of the valley had been completely torn to sheds in the numerous earthquakes that had struck the area just two days ago. Plates of land jutted up at odd angles, creating new cliffs and disrupting the path of the normally docile Nora river. Not even the protective mountains escaped harm. Many of them had experienced catastrophic landslides that leveled many trees and animals that were not quite fast enough to escape. One of the larger peaks, with a healthy crown of white still clinging around the summit, was even floating a few thousand feet in the air, looking extremely out of place.

Down in the valley, a herd of deer slowly made their way towards the river. All the deer were tense and wide-eyed, with each twig snap being almost enough to send them fleeing. No matter how far they ran though, they would still have to drink sometime.

The lead stag stopped next to the bank and stood attentively, trying to see all and at the same time to not be seen. One really couldn't blame their caution, after all it was the perfect spot for an ambush and who even knew what horrors lurked in the now heavily muddled water.

One by one, the deer made their way down to the water and took a drink. All was silent, not even a bird could be heard anywhere near the gently shifting waters. Which really should have been the deer's first clue that something was wrong.

Suddenly, the water next to one of the older does exploded into a whirlwind of teeth and claws. The doe tried to move away, but before she could, a set off large talons savagely ripped a huge gash along her throat. She collapsed in the shallows, desperately trying to inhale through her crippled windpipe. The rest of the herd scattered and could still be heard bounding off into the distance and away from what ever lurked in the dark water. The doe watched with primal horror as her killer rose out of the water, shaking himself off as he looked down at his kill.

Zero watched impassively as the doe's eyes glazed over and she became still. It didn't really bother him, he had killed before and likely would have to again. Once he was sure she was dead, he picked up the carcass with his teeth and with a mighty heave, threw it onto his back. Securing the body with his wings, Zero began to make his way back to the cave.

It was unusual to see a dragon living out in the wilderness all by himself, but it had been that way for the past seven or so years. It was harder to keep track of time out here and it didn't really serve any purpose, so Zero usually just estimated.

After a while of trudging through the still forest, Zero finally spotted the shallow cave that he stayed in. He really wouldn't go as far as to call it home, but it was cozy enough. Never the less, it was lucky that the cave had avoided all the rock slides and had been strong enough to hold up against a possible cave in.

Zero set the deer down outside the entrance and set about getting some fire wood from his nearby stash. Once he had gathered enough and had placed them all in the ring of rocks that served as his fire pit, he selected two rocks from the ground and proceeded to scrape them against each other. It took longer than usual to produce a large enough spark, but in the end his patience paid off as the fire roared to life.

Carefully slicing the carcass with his claws, Zero placed the good slices of meat on a flat rock next to fire where they began to cook and simmer. Deciding that the rest of the body could wait until morning, Zero settled down to watch the fire as the sun set over the mountains.

He really was lucky that deer herd had decided to come back into the valley. Apart from having to wait in the frigid water for most of the day hoping for a catch, he had also completely run out of any food that he had stored and was for once in actual danger of starving. Assuming that the herd hasn't gone to far he would be able to get enough meat at avoid going hungry, for now at any rate. Still, he would eventually have to head toward town soon to get information on what exactly happen a few days ago anyway. Huge cracks in the ground, all the small animals, himself included, running through the woods as trees splintered around them and whole mountains collapsing into huge piles of dust and rock. Then there was a bright, purple blast and everything just stopped moving. Most of the mountains actually reformed them selves and the planet's crust clicked back into place. Some of the land didn't move back and just hung there eerily, always threatening to come crashing back to earth any second.

Zero turned to look at the nearest floating mountain, which was still bathed in the sun's golden radiance. If it wasn't so far out of the way, he would go investigate. But then he remembered the prime directive: get food, water, shelter, and stay alive. Speaking of which...

Zero reached out and snagged a piece of the rib cage that had been sitting near him and took a hardy bite into it. The hot meat burned his throat on the way down, but he ignored it. He supposed that he really shouldn't worry about what had happened anyway. Everything was calm, peaceful and back to the way it was before. His solitary existence would endure, just like he always had.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Proper introductions

"Spyro. Spyro, come on buddy, wake up." Spyro groaned as the voice intruded upon his waking dreams, drawing him back towards consciousness once again.

"Give me five more minuets please." Spyro mumbled sleepily before turning back over and curling himself into an even tighter ball.

"Alright, so much for the easy approach. SPYRO WAKE UP!" The voice suddenly screamed directly into Spyro's ear. Spyro leap up and instantly formed a ready stance, fully expecting to fend off an imminent attack.

"What is it? What's wrong? Are we under attack?" Spyro jerked his head around, desperately trying to find the source of distress. He was in a granite stone chamber that was sparsely decorated save for a makeshift bed of cushions that he had been sleeping on. Sunlight filtered in through a tall, slanted window, illuminating the room. However, the room appeared completely deserted apart from himself. He saw no sign of what could have caused such a commotion to have woken him up.

"Really? That's the first thing you say to me? Are we under attack? Not "Oh I'm happy to see you Sparx. Or "I'm glad you're OK Sparx." I swear, you show no appreciation of what I do for you." Spyro finally looked up and sighted the loud-mouthed dragonfly that was floating just above his head.

"Sparx!" Spyro burst out. "I was wondering if you were alright."

"There's the brotherly concern that I was searching for." Sparx said, clapping his hands together.

Spyro grinned and said, "I was worried that I would have a hard time finding you again after all of this was over."

Sparx looked at him indignantly. "You were worried about finding me? Spyro, everybody around here has done nothing but search around for you three ever since the world fell back together."

"Right, sorry about that." Spyro said, looking down at the floor. He felt a sharp pain at the thought that the searchers would only ever find two of the three dragons.

"Get a load of this. You singlehandedly save the world, then you apologize for being gone for a few days." Sparx said incredulously. Spyro laughed at the oddity of whole situation. It did seem a little ridiculous. Trust Sparx to make him feel better about, well, anything.

Sparx just shook his head. "Whatever. Can you walk at all?" Spyro took a few unsteady steps forward. He was defiantly feeling steadier than he was yesterday when he woke up. He probably wouldn't be fighting again for a little while, but he could certainly walk a good distance.

"Yes Sparx, I can walk just fine, thank you." Spyro said as he stretched out all of his limbs. He winced as he felt all of his muscles cry out in protest. He was going to be sore for a long time.

"Good because we have places to go and people to meet." Sparx said as he flitted over to the door.

Spyro sighed and opened the door out into the hallway. The architecture here was incredible. High stone ceilings gently curved over his head, supported by periodic columns. The white walls stretched all the way down the corridor, perfectly smooth and unblemished. The marble floor clicked against his claws as he walked forward, admiring the simple beauty in the construction. He didn't think it was possible, but this place rivaled the elegance of the old dragon temple before it was destroyed by Malefor.

Seeing Sparx waiting at the end of the corridor, Spyro took off at a light jog to catch up with the impatient dragonfly. As they moved away from Spyro's bedroom through the winding hallways of the temple, it became apparent that this temple was not yet complete. Work teams of moles and the occasional earth dragon could be found constructing unfinished walls or sweeping balconies. As Spyro would approach, each of the teams would stop to look at him for a few seconds, many with expressions of shock and awe. Then they would just as quickly return to their work, least they be caught staring.

After another turn that opened up into some sort of courtyard, Spyro finally caught up enough to Sparx to resume conversation. "So where are we anyway Sparx?" He asked as they moved across the courtyard to towards the main complex.

Sparx didn't even bother turning around to answer the question. "Warfang citadel. Since the last dragon temple was so brutally destroyed, the moles were more than happy enough to provide us with a new one in the middle of the city." As they walked along a windowed corridor, Spyro saw that they could indeed see all of the sprawling city, much of it still in ruins. Spyro frowned as a new thought entered his head.

"Hey Sparx, aren't we a little high up in this temple? The moles couldn't have built something this tall that fast, right?" Spyro asked as he looked out from their vantage point over the city.

"Oh, I'm glad you asked. You're going to love this, come on." Sparx said as he lead Spyro out onto a small balcony. "Look down."

Spyro did so and gasped at what he saw. A large chunk of earth had been torn out from the center of the city and now hovered a few hundred feet above the massive crater. This island, which the temple was situated on, towered over everything else in the immediate vicinity, casting a long shadow on the city below. It certainly was an impressive sight.

"Well? What do you think buddy?" Sparx said, looking for Spyro's reaction. Spyro realized that he had his mouth open and quickly closed it.

"What? How...how is this even possible?" Spyro said, bending out over the railing to see if there was any support columns holding the island up. There wasn't any.

"Hey, I don't know, that's what you're going to tell us." Sparx said as he lightly slapped Spyro's horn. "This is your doing after all."

Sparx flew over to the doorway and motioned inside. "Alright, enough with the sight seeing. Come on, the guardians really want to talk with you." Spyro took one last look at the destroyed city before following Sparx back inside.

They soon came to a large, ornate wooden door, which was colored red, blue, yellow and green with symbols representing the four main elements. Despite having obviously been created recently, the door still displayed many intricate little carvings all over the surface showing great battles or impressive feats. "Voila! The guardians chambers. Go on in, I'm sure that they'd love to see you." Sparx said, motioning Spyro forward into the door.

The door creaked open loudly as Spyro pushed it open. A polished marble chamber laid out before him, with not a single speck of dust was to be seen anywhere inside. A small bowl was cut out of the center of the floor and was filled to the brim with crystal clear water, perfectly reflecting the ceiling above. The guardians were confined to one corner, quietly talking amongst themselves. Their heads whipped around at the sound of the door and relief crossed their faces as they saw who it was.

"Spyro. It is good to see you up and moving about again." The dark green earth dragon Terrador said as he walked over.

"Yes, old lad, you gave us quite a scare there." Cyril, the light blue ice guardian, said as he joined in to stand next to Spyro.

Volteer, the yellow electric guardian quickly hurried over, his non-stop mouth already working at full speed. "It's incredible, miraculously and completely impossible what you did young dragon. I mean actually pulling a whole planet back together? The amount of energy needed is unthinkable and I would love to have a better opportunity to study what you did and all the possible implications..."

"Enough." Terrador said firmly, cutting off Volteer before he could get too far. "Now, Spyro, please take a seat and explain to us exactly what happened."

Spyro sat, took a deep breath and began to recount his tale starting at when they crossed the belt of fire. The guardians expressions went from anguish and loss to anger and finally to wonder as Spyro described what happened at the core. "And then I woke up just some time later with a group of dragons surrounding me."

Terrador sighed loudly and leaned back. "It was just as I feared. Ignitus was acting like he knew he wouldn't be coming back with you. That certainly is a difficult thing to hear, that one of your closest friends is now dead." The rest of the guardians nodded sadly, each within their own thoughts.

Spyro fidgeted and waited for someone to speak before finally blurting out, "What about Cynder? Is she ok?"

The guardians exchanged dark glances before turning to look back at him. Spyro felt the unease in the air and grew more worried for the black dragoness. "Is she hurt at all? Injured?" Spyro gulped, "Dead?"

"Of course not." Terrador reassured him. "It's just that we don't really know."

Spyro frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The patrol that found you said that you were completely alone and none of the others have checked in yet." Cyril stated simply. "No one knows where she is."

Spyro sat for a moment before standing up and walking toward the door. "Then I'm going to find her."

Terrador moved quickly and got to the door first, blocking Spyro's path. "Oh no you don't. You're still not fully recovered."

Sparx zipped up in front of Spyro's head. "Please listen to the big dragon Spyro. I don't want to have to go find you all over again."

Spyro gritted his teeth in frustration. "Get out of my way Terrador. I have to find her."

Cyril cut in, moving to stand my Terrador. "If you want to meet her again so badly, then you would be better off just waiting here."

Volteer nodded enthusiastically. "We currently have 48 patrols sweeping the countryside for the both of you. On a good day with no storms or attacks, each patrol can cover 27 square miles. This means that 1,296 square miles are being covered each day where as you would only cover 27. Maybe 30 if you flew fast."

"And each patrol is instructed to immediately return to Warfang if they find either of you." Terrador continued as the rest of the dragons tried to understand Volteer's triad. "You also have to remember that Cynder is very smart and can take care of herself. Even if one of the patrols doesn't find her, she will surly begin making her way back to the city."

Spyro looked around, conflicted. "I guess your right. It's just that I would feel better searching for her my self." Spyro looked up again, determination burning in his eyes. "So please, let me go search for her too."

"Jeez, if this goes on then we're going to spend the rest of our lives trying to get the two of them in the same room together." Sparx commented as he floated lazily near the ceiling.

"Might I suggest a compromise?" Cyril said suddenly, getting everyone's attention. When nobody objected, he continued. "You see dear lad, our biggest concern is that you are still not fully recovered. There are still plenty of nasty bands of grublins running about and in your current state you could easily be overwhelmed. So my suggestion is that you rest here for three days before venturing out of the city to help search."

The rest of the guardians considered the suggestion. "That certainly fills all of the requirements." Volteer said. "I think it is a perfect, excellent and fair compromise to our predicament."

Terrador nodded his approval. "Well Spyro, what do you say?"

Spyro crinkled his brow, trying to figure out the best course of action. He wanted to find Cynder and make sure that she was alright, but despite all he said otherwise, he really didn't feel like he had enough energy to fly for a long period of time, if at all. He also really didn't want to miss her if she came back to the city soon anyways. He sighed, coming to the only logical conclusion available to him. "Fine. I promise not to leave the city for three days. If she's not back by then though, I'm going no matter what you tell me."

Terrador grinned with relief at Spyro's decision. "Excellent. You have free reign of the temple. Sparx can show you the dining hall or training rooms if you feel like it. I only ask that you refrain from traveling to the city until tomorrow to give your wings some rest."

Spyro acknowledged what Terrador said but made no reply. He merely walked out the door, head down and tail dragging. He slowly made his way out back to the balcony that they had stopped at on the way in. He stared out at the landscape as if he could somehow see Cynder making her way through the tattered battleground below.

"Man, I'm starving. Come on, I'll show you the dining hall." Sparx said, completely oblivious to Sypro's inner turmoil.

"That sounds great Sparx. I'll be there soon, just give me a few minuets." Spyro said all of this in a detached sort of way, as if he really wasn't paying much attention.

Sparx stopped, looking quizzically at his adopted brother. Something was wrong, but he clearly wanted to have some time to himself. "Well, ok then. See you there." Sparx said as he drifted off, slightly miffed.

Spyro looked out into the plains, where he could just barely see the outlines of a mountain range beyond it. "As soon as she gets back," Spyro thought, "I'm going to tell her that she is the most beautiful dragoness that I have ever seen." Spyro shook himself slightly. "No, it shouldn't be right when she gets back, she deserves to have some time to settle in here."

"But what if she doesn't feel the same way? I might scare her off and never see her again. I should start off small like commenting on how her bracers look nice. That way I can test the waters and see if she wants to have that kind of relationship with me. But what if she thinks that I am just trying to be nice to a friend? Argh, why is this so hard?"

Spyro grimaced and rubbed his temples, trying to sort out his confused thoughts as the sun rose ever steadily into the sky.

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Pyrus paced the halls of the temple, bored out of his mind. It was late afternoon and large thunder heads were gathering in the distance. Pyrus paused to watch lighting flicker off the surface of the clouds as thunder rolled over the city. He had hoped that finding the purple dragon would get him some recognition, but now it was obvious now that it was being used as an excuse to keep him at the temple and away from the action. Pyrus sighed and continued walking down the hallway. What did he have to do to get some respect around here anyway?

"Hey Pyrus! Wait up!" Pyrus turned to see Connan running down the hall in an effort to catch up to him.

Slowing his pace to let the other dragon reach him, Pyrus said, "Gee Connan, I'm surprised that you're not sweeping the floors today for your insubordination."

"Oh yeah, that." Connan said grinning. "The guardians decided that since _I_ was the one to find the purple dragon, they were prepared to let it slide this one time."

"Wow, your Dad must be thrilled." Pyrus said, smiling at the blue dragon.

Connan gulped and looked over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't being followed. "Yes, he's extremely thrilled, so I'll just be staying on the other side of the temple until he calms down."

Pyrus laughed and the two dragons continued to wander the halls, going nowhere in particular. They passed door after door, some leading to private sleeping rooms and others leading to main areas like the courtyard or training hall. However, one of the doors they passed opened up suddenly and two dragonesses stepped out into the corridor.

Connan turned and grinned widely at the two dragons. "Electra, Gaia, how lovely to see both of you."

Gaia was a well built, leaf green earth dragon. Her wings and chest were the dark, woody brown of a towering, ancient tree and her tail ended in a boulder-like club. Her horns were short, but thick and capable of dealing some nasty bruises. Pyrus knew that from experience, although to be fair the bruises could also be received from any part of her stout body. Her large, green eyes were highly focused and never wavered from their target. Once they locked on, they didn't disengage until the subject was badly hurt to say the least.

Electra, on the other hand, had a smaller and more petite figure. She had a dark, midnight black coloring over most of her body. In a few places along her sides, a bright yellow streak stood out in stark contrast like lightning on a stormy night. Her wings were a slightly more subdued yellow, while her eyes blazed like two little suns. The spikes lining her tail moved up and down erratically and the very tip zig-zagged to form a jagged knife. She was more timid than the rest of the dragons, but Pyrus knew that she was a smart and reliable friend once she warmed up to you.

"Yes, it's very nice to see both of you." Pyrus said, acknowledging the two dragonesses. "But I thought you were both out on a patrol?"

Gaia sighed loudly and said, "We were, but one of our guys got wounded in a fight against some grublins and we thought it best to get him back here." Pyrus nodded sympathetically, but inside he was bright green with envy. Was he really the only dragon here who hadn't fought a grublin? He had of course heard Connan's story of being ambushed while flying with his dad an endless amount of times, with each retelling doubling the number of enemies that Connan had vanquished. All Pyrus had ever managed to fell was a legion of practice dummies, but those weren't even close to the real thing.

"...so we're just waiting around for him to be fully patched up." Pyrus came out of his revelry in time to catch the tale-end of the story Electra was recounting.

"So that's what we're doing back here, but what are you guys doing back so early as well? Did Connan irk his dad too much and be sent back for twenty lashes?" Gaia said with a grin toward the ice dragon.

"Well," Connan said, "if you have to know, yours truly was the one to find the legendary purple dragon all by himself."

The girls gasped as Pyrus rolled his eyes. "Oh please. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't of found him again after you lost sight of him the first time."

Connan turned an irritated look back at Pyrus. He snorted derisively and said, "That's Pyrus for you, always riding off of my contrails."

Pyrus was about to angrily respond when Electra interrupted. "So he's still here in the temple, right?"

Pyrus shrugged. "I assume so. Where else would he go?"

Gaia looked around thoughtfully. "I would defiantly like to meet him some time."

"Why?" Pyrus asked. "Are you hoping to be able to claim that your boyfriend saved the world?"

Gaia flicked her tail dismissively in Pyrus's direction. "Don't be ridiculous Pyrus. The purple scales would clash horribly with my green ones." She said, turning her head to admire her spotless coat.

Pyrus chucked. "Sure, what ever you say, Gaia."

Electra nudged her green friend and motioned down the way that Pyrus and Connan had come. "Come on Gaia, we really should get going. It was nice talking to you two." And with that, the dragonesses moved off down the corridor.

Connan waited until he was sure that they were out of earshot before turning to Pyrus with an ecstatic look on his face. "Did you see that Pyrus? She looked at me!"

Pyrus shook his head and continued moving down the hallway. "Yes Connan, I am sure that Gaia has looked at you plenty of times"

Connan hurried and quickly caught up to red dragon. "No! This wasn't just any old look, I think it was _the_ look."

Pyrus gave Connan a long, amused glance out of the corner of his eye. "I still think you're reading into this too deeply."

"Why can't you ever be happy for my accomplishments?" Connan pouted.

"Because you always end up rubbing it in my face." Pyrus said without turning.

Connan considered this for a moment and then shrugged. "Fair enough."

Pyrus suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Connan pointing further down the corridor. Pyrus followed Connan's gaze to see Spyro picking his way slowly down the corridor ahead.

Spyro sighed as he poked his head through the umpteenth door as he wandered though the temple. When he had told Sparx to leave him, he had neglected to ask for directions to the dining hall. The folly of his mistake could now be felt as hunger clawed at his stomach. He couldn't actually remember the last time that he had eaten, but it was probably a hurried meal just before the great destroyer arrived.

"Hey Spyro! Over here!" Spyro turned, expecting to see Sparx but was instead greeted by a red and blue dragon.

They both trotted up and inclined their heads respectively. "Wow, you're sure looking a lot better than when we last saw you." The blue dragon said, a friendly expression on his face.

"Thanks?" Spyro said uncertainly. No matter how many times it happened, it was still an uncomfortable experience for people to just come up and know everything about him.

Noticing his discomfort, the red one spoke up. "You know, I don't think we were properly introduced last time we meet." He said, extending a paw.

Spyro moved to take it, but before he could, it was knocked out of the way by the blue dragon. The dragon grinned manically. "Of course, where are my manners? I am Connan and this," Connan said, gesturing to his companion, "is Pyrus! The great bush slayer!"

Pyrus issued a low warning growl. "Connan..."

Connan continued on heedlessly. "I guarantee that there was nothing left of that bush other than ash and dust! It never even stood a chance against his withering torrent of flames!"

"Connan!" Pyrus snapped. "I told you to drop it!" Connan backed off, still grinning evilly.

Spyro bit the inside of his cheek to keep a smile from spreading onto his face. "Nice to meet you, I'm Spyro." Although he was pretty sure they already knew his name, it seemed like the proper thing to do. They all shook paws.

"So what did you mean by "better than the last time we saw you"?" Spyro asked. It unnerved him to think that he could have meet these dragons before and not remember it.

"We were part of the search party that found you." Pyrus explained. "I'm not surprised that you don't remember, you were pretty out of it."

Connan grinned again. "Yeah, my Dad had to carry you all back to here and you've sleeping for about a day." Connan's expression became one of jealousy. "I wish I was allowed to sleep that long."

They all laughed and Spyro turned a quizzical eye towards the pair. "Could you please explain something to me? I thought Cynder and I were the only dragons left in our age group."

Pyrus nodded. "Technically, you are. I think I'm roughly a year older than you and Connan is still basically a baby, but no one else is your age."

"Hey!" Connan said defiantly. "I'm just two years younger than you!"

Pyrus shrugged. "What's the difference."

Connan stared at Pyrus for a few moments before slowly turning away. "This isn't over..."

Ignoring the thinly veiled threat, Pyrus turned back to Spyro. "Anyways, if you don't mind me saying Spyro, you looked a little lost back there. Need any help?"

Spyro's face brightened. "Actually, I was looking for the dining hall. I'm starving."

Pyrus nodded and motioned for Spyro to follow them. "We're still getting used to this place too, but I think I can find the dining hall from here."

Connan fell in beside them as they started off again down the corridor. "I swear, this place is worse than a labyrinth. I once tried to get to the guardians quarters and ended up in the North watch tower." Spyro laughed, glad that he finally had someone else to talk to.

As the three dragons made their way deeper into the temple, talking nonchalantly amongst themselves, they didn't bother to watch the dark storm clouds slowly roll off to the North.

**A/N - Hello again. I know that this is a very slow beginning but I promise that there will be some action in the next chapter, which I hope to get up soon. I really have no life, so what better way to spend my summer than writing some 4,000 word chapters a day? Thanks for reading and I hope you'll be back soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Where's Cynder?

Branches groaned and snapped loudly as Zero pushed his way through the cluster of trees. Water drops from last night's storm still clung to the branches, spraying whoever was unlucky enough to disturb them. Spotting a bush covered in sharp, jagged leafs, Zero moved towards it, causing another mini rainstorm in the process. Carefully lifting one of the branches, he stared at the bright blue berries underneath. Judging them to be sufficiently ripened, he methodically picked the bush clean, dropping all the berries into a deer-skin satchel that was slung around his neck. Once he was sure that he had gathered all the berries from this particular specimen, he moved on deeper into the sleepy woodland.

Zero had just returned from a small trip into town to see what he could learn about recent events. This was harder than it sounded as none of the townsfolk actually knew he was even up here. Stories of a 'ghost' dragon living in the Northern valley kept away all but the most courageous of youngsters and no roads meant that no travelers had reason to pass through. No one ever visited or even knew he existed and quite frankly, that was the way that Zero liked to keep it.

It was a disappointment that the occupants of the town didn't know much more than he did. He ended up spending most of the day crouched in the bushes under the tavern window, listening to the hubbub of conversation within about who was dating who and something that one of the town guards claimed to have seen moving in the trees last night. Nevertheless, there was a number of rumors going around that the legendary purple dragon Spyro had somehow managed to save the world from almost certain destruction. This must of meant that the great conflict was finally over. Even though he hadn't been affected by it all the way up in the Northern mountains, it was nice to know he wouldn't have to worry about a large army taking up residence.

As Zero continued to forage, a loud crack suddenly echoed throughout the valley. Zero's head shot up in time to see a large flock of birds evacuate from an area just upslope. Something was in the valley.

Quickly, without taking his eyes off the surrounding environment, Zero removed the deer-skin satchel and stashed it roughly under a nearby rock. It would only hinder him in combat and he could easily recover it later. Now moving silently through the underbrush, he made his way toward the disturbance.

As he got closer, Zero could now hear shouts and the clang of metal against metal. Slowly, as to not draw any attention to himself, he moved into a well furnished bush that concealed him quite nicely. He peered out the other side at the scene before him.

A group of apes lingered in an incoherent mob at the edge of the glade. They were outfitted with black armor and carried well forged and sharpened weapons. They were raggedy and unkempt, but still quite intimidating. Several of their number had already fallen in a bloody circle around the opponent, fear still clinging to their frozen faces. Another ape sat slouched against a tree, out for the count after being hurled there by some great force. Giving the brutality of the combat so far, Zero couldn't blame the rest of the apes from holding back.

In the middle of the carnage, a black dragoness stood, still panting after all her exertions. She was black with a complementing shade of magenta over her chest and wings. She seemed well armed with a set of dangerously long claws and a razor sharp tail blade. A set of small horns stuck straight back from her head and ended in a series of sharp points. She grimaced as she looked at the wary apes on the corner of the clearing. "Alright, who's next?"

One ape apparently thought that he had what it took to take down the dragoness. He charged forward blindly with his sword raised high in the air. The dragoness easily sidestepped the blow and lashed out at a gap in the leggings. He cried out and fell to his knees, where the dragoness beheaded him with a flick of her tail.

Two more apes charged at her next, making sure to stick close to each other. The dragoness crouched and leaped off into the air. After getting some altitude with a few flaps of her wings, she then proceeded to fold them and enter into a dive. She slammed into one of the apes, sending the both of them skidding across the glade and away from the others. The ape attempted to scream, but was cut off as the dragoness' claws raked across his throat.

Upon seeing his companion fall, the other ape loosed a battle cry and charged. The dragoness dodged the blows easily, avoiding each with practiced ease. She bent almost like water, flowing with the battle and moving just enough to avoid each swing.

Despite being an experienced fighter, the ape had made a very basic mistake, not accounting for all of his opponent's limbs. The dragoness' tail swayed slowly, looking for the slightest opening. Finding one, it struck out with all the speed of a rattlesnake, cleanly sliding through a gap in the torso armor. The ape tensed up, then relaxed, slowly falling off the bloodied blade to end up in a heap on the damp ground.

Zero watched all of this from his hiding place in the bushes. Whoever the black dragoness was, she certainly could handle herself well in a fight. There didn't seem to be any reason the make his presence known to any of the combatants. Why invite any trouble when he could just pretend that he was never here. The more important issue was what were apes doing in the valley? They had never shown any interest before now and had steered well clear, perhaps believing the ghost dragon stories. Were they simply here to kill the dragoness, or were they a scouting party ahead of a larger host?

"Come on you worthless maggots!" One of the apes shouted, rallying the troops. "If we all attack at once, she doesn't stand a chance." A cheer went up in the crowd and a majority of the remaining apes, about five or so, ran forward to confront the dragoness.

Just as Zero began seriously to consider intervening, darkness fell over the glade. Glancing behind him, Zero could still see sunlight filtering through the trees. So this must be one of the unusual dragoness' elements. Interesting.

Confused cries and yells came from the dark cloud as the apes blundered about within. Zero tensed and prepared to leap as one of the apes stumbled out right in front of him. The ape stared directly at him before moving a paw to hold his throat, a paper-thin line of blood now appearing on the skin there. The ape gurgled and fell face first onto the forest floor.

Zero relaxed and noticed that the cries from inside the unnatural darkness were becoming more and more faint. The cloud suddenly lifted to revel the dragoness standing in a circle of her kills. She was panting heavily, obviously exhausted by the combat.

She licked her lips and stared at the reluctant stragglers. "Anyone else?" The apes took one look at her bloody talons and tail blade before scampering off into the bushes.

"I thought so." She said as she relaxed her stance. She glanced around the clearing, looking over the lifeless bodies of her foes. She shook her head and began to pick her way down into the valley. Zero moved to get a better view of the dragon. She certainly was an unique creature to behold. He wondered who she was and what she was doing in the valley. He didn't recognize her, so she must not live nearby. Perhaps this had something to do with the recent upheavals, or maybe she was just a lost Warfang scout.

Suddenly, she stopped, whipping around to stare directly at the bush where Zero was hiding. Great, she must of heard him shift positions. Given the display that he had just witnessed, it was hard to imagine that she would take kindly to his presence there. He readied himself, prepared to fight or flee.

They were both startled by the sudden rustling on the other side of the clearing. Several apes appeared out of the bushes, glancing around numbly at their dead comrades. The dragoness sighed and turned back to the glade. "Again?" She asked as she prepared to face another onslaught.

But none of the apes made to charge her. They all just stood, watching her. Waiting. Zero suddenly picked up the distinct sound of something large moving through the forest towards them. Branches were brutally ripped aside as the figure came into view.

It was a massive ape, at least two heads taller than all the rest. He too wore a black suit of armor, colored so dark that it seemed to eat up all of the sunshine that struck it. Zero stared at the newcomer, intrigued. There was something...off about the ape and Zero didn't like it.

The ape laughed, swinging his arm to point his steel blade at the dragoness. "Well if it isn't the great and terrible Cynder, terror of the skies. We have been looking for you a long time."

So this was Cynder, the infamous terror dragon. She didn't look anything like the hushed, whispered tales of her said. Much too small. But then again, size didn't seem to matter that much if you could fight like that.

A new determination and anger burned bright in Cynder's eyes at the words. "I don't care what you do. I'm never going back, never!"

The ape shrugged indifferently. "Who said anything about taking you back alive?"

Cynder growled, then unleashed a large green blast of what looked like acid toward the heavily armored ape. He didn't even attempt to dodge the blast, even if he could move that fast. The acid struck the chest plate dead-center, sizzling on contact. But as they watched, the acid just melted away, leaving the armor completely unscathed.

"What the?" Cynder said, clearly confused. The corrosive acid she just spit should have burned straight through the chest plate and skin below it until there was nothing left. Something was terribly wrong.

The ape looked amused at the attack. "Is that really the best you can do? I was expecting more of a challenge."

Cynder took a few deep breaths before opening her mouth again. This time a massive gust of wind rocked the entire clearing. Trees bent and swayed wildly, sending a downpour of water droplets down below. The other apes screeched and yelled as they were blown across the ground, many of them grabbing what ever they could reach to avoid being blown away. But the armored ape continued to stand as if it was nothing more than a cool breeze. He laughed again, taking a step forward through the frightening gale. "Cynder, what a disappointment. Hard to believe that you were once feared throughout the realm."

Cynder closed her mouth, slowly letting the wind storm subside. Zero could see that she was near collapse. Her legs were shaking and she seemed to have a hard time holding her head up. "I'll never give up to the likes of you." She said, trying to sound more energetic than she was.

The ape hefted his sword, looking at her with a detached expression. "Looks like you don't really have much of a choice. You're about to drop even as we speak. Such a pity. I guess you'll never live to see the day where everyone would suddenly just forgive you. As if that would ever happen."

Cynder let out a defiant roar and charged directly at the ape. With a mighty leap, she landed on his sword arm, intending to use it as a springboard to get a good push off to his head. But her claws squealed in protest as they came into contact with the armor, being unable to find any purchase. With practiced ease, the ape swung his free hand at her. It connected with a sharp crack and Cynder flew across the clearing before landing in a crumpled heap.

Silence stretched out as everything went still. Cynder made no effort to rise and remained laying motionless on the ground. The ape pointed at one of his subordinates and motioned to the dragoness. "You. Get over there and see if she's still alive."

The smaller ape started and looked up. "But..."

"Now!" The armored behemoth barked. The ape gulped nervously and cautiously approached the still form of Cynder. Stretching his body to the fullest extent, he carefully put his hand along her neck, searching for a pulse. Several tense seconds passed before he withdrew his hand and scampered back to the others.

"She's alive, but unconscious sir." The ape reported, trembling with relief that he was still alive.

The captain nodded and gestured to two other solders. "You two, go help him tie her up. I'm sure old pale horns is going to want to have a little conversation with her."

The apes nodded and immediately set to work tying Cynder to a thick wooden branch that they tore off a nearby tree. They lifted the branch up onto their sholders with Cynder dangling below it like a prize kill, moving off to follow the rest of the band. Leaving the broken bodies of the unfortunate apes behind them, the group marched off toward the high mountain pass, unaware that they were being followed.

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Spyro woke up with a start, glancing around the room that he now called home. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, trying to remember the dream that he had been having. It had something to do with Cynder, of that he was sure. With a terrible sense of foreboding, he remembered that she had been in some sort of danger. Her voice still cried out to him, begging him to help her until he could no longer bear it.

Spyro sighed and began pacing around the room. Although it seemed like such a short time to wait, three days was beginning to sound like a life sentence. Spyro stopped, impatiently pounding a fist against the wall. He had to be sure that she was alright, but he had given his word to the guardians that he would not leave. Even though they had all reassured him that Cynder would soon be found, he still felt like she was in some sort of danger and desperately needed his help.

Giving up any attempt to get back to sleep, Spyro walked over to the window and gazed out. The sun had just begun it's daily journey across the sky, lighting the city up with a breathtaking assortment of oranges and yellows. Figuring that the kitchens would have started cooking breakfast by now, Spyro walked outside his room and into the hallway.

Carefully retracing his steps from yesterday, Spyro made his way back down the corridors until he entered the dining hall. A great perfume of smells assaulted him as he pushed open the wood doors. There was hardly anyone there this early in the morning except for some of the construction moles looking to grab a quick bite to eat before the day's shift began. After grabbing a good size portion of freshly roasted deer, Spyro looked around for a place to sit. Spotting Connan at one of the far tables, Spyro quickly picked his way across the room to reach him.

"Good morning." Spyro said as he sat down next to the blue dragon.

Connan jerked awake from where he had been sleeping with his face on his plate. "I didn't do it." He quickly scanned the room, totally oblivious to the piece of meat clinging to his snout.

Spyro looked at him quizzically. "Do what?"

Connan refocused his attention back to Spyro. "Never you mind Spyro." He said as he nonchalantly plucked the sliver of meat off of himself. He tossed it up in the air to neatly catch it in his mouth, swallowing it whole. "Never you mind."

Connan yawned widely and stretched his wings out before resuming eating his plate of food. "So what are you doing up so early anyways?" Spyro asked. "You certainly don't seem like an early riser to me."

Connan shook his head and muttered, "I'm not, but my dad insists that I get up early everyday in order to be prepared for an attack." Connan sighed longingly, his unfocused eyes fixed on a single point on the wall. "I haven't had a good nights sleep in three years."

They were interrupted by Pyrus as he staggered up to their table. As he sat down, Spyro caught sight of a nasty bruise beginning to form on his forehead. Pyrus ignored them and began ravenously wolfing down any food that he could reach.

"Good mourning Pyrus." Spyro said. Pyrus only mumbled in response. Gesturing to the discolored bruise on the red dragon's forehead, Spyro asked "What happened to you?"

Pyrus set down the deer leg he was working on to glare at the two dragons sitting across from him. "Well if you have to know, today I woke up to discover that someone had completely frozen the floor outside my room." Connan quickly hid his gleeful expression behind a cup of water. "So now my only goal is to make sure a certain someone has as bad a day as I'm currently having."

The hostility was palpable as Connan and Pyrus stared at each other, both trying to unnerve the other. Spyro fidgeted uncomfortably for a few seconds before asking a question, hoping to diffuse the situation. "So are there any other young dragons hanging around here or is it just you two?"

Pyrus broke off his stare-down with Connan to resume eating. "No, there's quite a few of us hear. Electra and Gaia are the only other ones living in the temple but I'm sure that there's more living down in the city too."

Spyro nodded and another question popped into his mind. "So why are you living at the temple anyway?"

"Connan here only has his dad left and he spends so much time working as a guard that he doesn't really have any time to take care of him." Pyrus said as the blue dragon in question almost nodded off again.

"As for me, well," Pyrus looked down at his plate, suddenly becoming depressed. "My family isn't around anymore, so I have no where else to go."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Spyro said. He had never really noticed how the war had affected other people's lives until he had come to Warfang. The true scale of it was staggering.

Pyrus continued on in an emotionless tone. "Electra is an orphan like myself and I think that Gaia is technically staying with her aunt down in the city. But she spends so much time up here that the guardians agreed to give her a room."

Connan woke up again, raising his head to look around the room. Glancing between the two dragons, he said, "Any ideas of what to do today?"

Pyrus shrugged. "I don't know, maybe we could go down into the city for a bit."

Spyro shook his head. "No thanks, I would rather stay up here in the temple."

Connan gaped in mock surprise. "But Spyro, you're the great purple dragon! People from all over will be screaming your name. Fame! Fortune! You could have almost any girl you wanted to and you choose to sit in this drowsy, boring temple all day?"

Spyro looked away sheepishly. "Yes, but I really don't want any of that. All I really want now is a quite life with no cheering crowds or deranged dragons."

Glancing over to Connan, Pyrus muttered, "If you're trying to stay away from deranged dragons, you're in the wrong place."

"Besides," Spyro continued, "I want to be sure to be here when Cynder gets back."

Pyrus started and looked up. "Just to be clear, this is the Terror of the Skies we're talking about here, right?"

Spyro nodded. "Yes, but she's different now."

Pyrus was still wary. "How so?"

Spyro sighed and shook his head. "It's a long story."

Connan yawned again and shrugged. "Since we don't have anything better planned today, why don't you tell us?"

"Alright then, but I think you're going to have a hard time believing it though." Spyro said as the two dragons leaned in eagerly. They stayed that way for most of the morning, listening, chatting, and enjoying each others company.

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The apes continued trudging through the burning sand, silently wincing with each foot fall. None dared to speak up though. After all, their leader had been know to kill for lesser reasons than complaining about the sand.

Besides, they had been marching for most of the day and the sun was in the process of setting off in front of them. The same two apes carried the large branch, with the unconscious Cynder still hanging below it. The mountains loomed behind them, towering over the dunes that they now walked across. A soft wind blew across the landscape, blowing sand into their eyes and causing much grumbling.

The juggernaut captain, shielding his eyes from the last rays of the sun with a giant fist, looked out ahead of the company, searching for a landmark among the shifting dunes. Spotting a group of large rocks sticking out of the otherwise featureless horizon, the captain gave a shout and the apes responded by picking up their pace, glad that the journey was almost over.

As soon as all the troop had gathered beneath the slim shade provided by the outcropping, the large captain grabbed medium sized rock and slid it across the sand as easily as one would if it was made of paper. Under the rock, a dark abyss stretched down below. Odd clanking sounds could be heard echoing up from the depths and a cold wind gusted out of the subterranean lair. One by one, each of the apes jumped down below and carefully helped lower their prisoner through the hole. The last one in reached up and gently tugged the rock back into place, sealing off the hidden tunnel.

Zero watched all of this from a neighboring dune. After ensuring the coast was clear, he glided down from the dune to land next to the outcropping. Placing his ear next to the offending rock, Zero could faintly detect the vibrations of sound waves from inside the cave. There must be a large complex of tunnels below the sands.

Taking a seat in the shade, Zero pondered his options. One thing was clear, he had to put a halt to what ever the apes were doing before it threatened his valley. The only question was how.

He certainly couldn't venture into the tunnels by himself; his unusual coloring would make him stick out like a sore thumb and he would quickly be overwhelmed. So the only other option was to bring in outside help.

His thoughts returned to the captured dragoness. She was far from his first priority and there were many people that would like to see her dead, but perhaps she could be of use to him. If she had truly switched sides, then it would make sense that others would be searching for her. And these people might be persuaded in turn to help him.

Making up his mind, Zero stood and spread his winds. Catapulting off into the skies, he quickly gained altitude using the dying thermals of the desert. Once at sufficient altitude, he circled once before turning and speeding off to the South-East as the sun set behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - New enemies and allies

A low, mournful howl echoed around Cynder as she slowly returned to the world. Straining her eyes, she tried to see where she was, but the dark room offered no clues. She felt oddly drained and cold, more so than usual. She suddenly remembered what had happened. The attack, the fight and finally the apes taking her captive. She had to get out of here.

Carefully moving her legs below her, Cynder attempted to stand. She gasped as pain shot through her body, causing her to collapse and almost black out again. Moving one of her free paws, Cynder felt along her left side for the source of her distress. A large, bloody gash covered most of her left flank. Wincing each time she touched it, Cynder quickly accessed the wound. Although the bleeding had stopped, the scab limited her movement and made her unable to support any weight. She would also hazard a guess that the blow had broken at least two of her ribs.

As she continued to look at her injury, a faint rattling caught her attention. Craning her neck around to look behind her, she could faintly make out the outline of a metal chain clamped firmly around one of her rear legs. She shivered, realizing that she could not feel any sensations from that leg, only cold and numbness.

A loud tramping could be heard outside of her cell door, drawing ever closer. The footsteps stopped right outside the door and Cynder could hear the faint screech of bolts being undone. The door swung open, spilling orange torch light into the room. The light dimmed as a figure stooped through the doorway to fit himself into the small cell.

Even in the dim light, Cynder could tell that this was a highly respected ape. Although certainly not the largest she had ever seen, he nevertheless was quite big. Graying fur stuck out from underneath the battle armor that he wore, while a sword hung securely at his side. The open face helmet he wore was adorned with two long, pale horns that stretched and bent slowly towards the ceiling. With a chill, Cynder recognized them as dragon horns. His face was one that not even a mother could love, covered as it was in numerous scars. His black eyes stared down at her, hatred glistening within.

"Looks like my scouts were not exaggerating when they said they had caught Cynder." The ape snarled. "I have waited a long time for this."

Cynder attempted to rise, but quickly ran out of energy and slid back to the floor. What was wrong with her?

The ape grinned, obviously amused at her effort. "Allow me to introduce my self, I am Drakken, the dragon slayer. I am leader of the Shadow Claw clan. And you are just a poor, washed up dragon that is completely at our mercy."

As Drakken finished his monologue, Cynder gathered herself together and leaped at him, roaring defiantly. The chain holding her foot snapped tight and she fell just short, landing of the hard ground of the cell.

Drakken laughed, the sound grating against Cynder's ears. "Nice try Cynder, nice try. If you actually posed the slightest threat to me at all, I would simply of run you through with this." Drakken lightly gripped the pommel of the black sword at his belt. "If you get stabbed with this, you will die." He tapped the horns attached to his helmet. "No exceptions."

Cynder growled. "What do you want from me anyway?"

"I just want two things from you Cynder." Drakken said as he folded his hands behind his back. "First, I want you to tell me everything that has happened in the war, ending with the massive earthquakes that have killed over a dozen of my men in the past week. Leave out any detail and you will be punished."

"Then the second thing I need from you is to die." Drakken spat out, venom now evident in his voice.

Cynder felt her spirits drop. It seemed that everything except Spyro and the guardians wanted her dead. All because she had been used by the Malafor in the past. Why couldn't people just move on and see that she was trying to make amends? Although it was futile to expect an ape to care anyways.

"Why do you want me dead?" Cynder asked. "What have I ever done to you?"

Drakken snarled, his features twisting into an even more unpleasant arrangement. "To me? Nothing. But to the apes? Everything."

"You see Cynder," Drakken said, turning away from her to stare at one of the blank walls. "long before any of you whelps where born, the apes lived in separate clans like this one. We fought the dragons and occasionally each other. It seemed like the perfect way of existence, something that could endure and save our culture until the end of time."

Drakken's tone hardened slightly as he continued. "Then that idiot Gaul began to rally the clans with some big pronouncement that the Dark Master would destroy any who opposed him. Many apes flocked to his banner and the army grew daily. Not wanting to be beholden to another power, the other clan leaders and I united and stood in opposition to Gaul. We were on the brink of a civil war that I was positive to win."

Drakken turned back to Cynder, pointing an accusing finger. "Then you showed up. You butchered the other clan leaders and the rest of the apes all cowered and went to Gaul. You are the dragon that made them all slaves!"

"And now look at them!" Drakken ranted. "Thousands dead, the war with the dragons lost, and the survivors twisted into horrible forms. You, Cynder, are to blame for this. I will personally ensure that you pay for this to the upmost extent before you die."

"But first," Drakken reached out and roughly grabbed Cynder by the throat with his crude hands. "You're going to tell me every single little weakness that the dragons have so we can rise from the ashes and defeat them."

"Never." Cynder managed to choke out. Drakken looked disappointed and shook his head sadly.

"Too bad, I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." He roughly threw Cynder against the far wall. The blow reopened the gash on her side and blood began dripping out again. Drakken watched, a demonic glint in his eyes as he watched the prisoner cower.

"Guards!" He shouted. The two apes that had been standing outside cautiously peeked into the room.

"Give her what ever you think is the bare minimum amount of water to survive. She will talk soon, I guarantee it." Drakken took one last look at Cynder and grinned. "See you soon, Cynder." He walked out, pulling the door closed behind him, leaving her in total darkness.

Carefully laying down as to not disturb her wound any more, Cynder mournfully looked around the bleak cell. Her whole life had always been some sort of cruel joke. All she had ever done was bring suffering and pain to others, even when they were trying to help her. There was no way to hope that she could ever be forgiven. Perhaps it was an appropriate fate for her to meet her end at the hands of these apes. The others would finally have some peace in their lives.

And Spyro? The dragon that had always believed in her and helped her through the tough times? She didn't deserve him. He was the hero of the ages and it would not be right for him to suffer just because she was close by. "Oh Spyro," she thought dejectedly as her quiet sobs began to fill the room. "Where ever you are, I hope you're happy."

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Pyrus groaned and stretched as he finally dragged his tired body out of bed. Taking a few more minuets to allow his body to fully boot up, he then opened the door out into the hall. After doing a careful check to make sure that there were no treacherous ice patches, he stepped into the hall and slowly began making his way towards the dining hall.

Nothing much had happened the past few days and Pyrus liked it. He and Connan had spent the time getting to know Spyro better and Pyrus found out that he was quite wrong about the purple dragon. He wasn't a coward at all and always seemed to have other's best interests at heart. Pyrus was glad to count him as a friend. As for what he said about Cynder, Pyrus thought that he would have to see it first in order to believe it.

Spotting a blue dragon making his way down an adjacent hall, Pyrus moved to catch up to the basically sleepwalking Connan. "Good morning Connan." Pyrus called out.

Connan looked up, glanced at Pyrus breifly before incoherently muttering a response. The two slowly continued down the hall in silence, with Connan occasionally stumbling as he tried to stay awake.

"There you are." A voice behind them suddenly barked. Connan visibly jumped a few feet before spinning around, now acting completely awake and alert. Pyrus turned to see Brigan making his way towards them down the hall.

Brigan stopped and examined the two dragons standing at attention. "Glad to see that both of you are awake, especially you Connan." Connan gave a sharp nod, not showing the slightest signs of sleepiness.

"Now come." Brigan said in the same commanding voice as he began moving down the hall. "The guardians have request our presence."

The two dragons quickly fell in line as Brigan lead the way towards the guardians quarters. Speaking softly as to not be overheard, Pyrus asked, "What did you do this time Connan?"

Connan held a paw up defensively. "Nothing, I swear! I don't know what's going on either."

Eventually, they arrived at the grand wood doors that led to the guardians quarters. The mole guards outside immediately admitted them and they strode inside. The guardians sat in a rough semicircle at one side, quietly talking among themselves. Spyro paced the floor impatiently, continually pausing to look back at the guardians.

Once the large doors slowly swung closed again, Terrador stood and addressed the assembled dragons. "Good, everyone is here. We have much to discuss."

"Yes, quite." Cyril said. "Now Spyro, over the past three days you have recovered from your ordeal sufficiently to assist in the search for Cynder."

"But there is one more provision that you must accept before you leave." Terrador said. "We have decided that Brigan, Pyrus and Connan shall accompany you and assist you if necessary. Do you have any objections?"

"No." Spyro stated. "Now could we please just leave? I want to find Cynder."

"Of course young dragon." Volteer said. "But you still have to decide where to start your search before you go."

"How about the valley of Avalar?" Pyrus asked, gulping as all the dragons turned to him. "I mean, since we found you there she still might be nearby."

Terrador shook his head. "I don't think so. We redirected several patrols to the area and they haven't found anything. The cheetahs are also scouring the valley and have found nothing to report. If she was there, we would have found her."

"What about Dante's Freezer? Have you tried there?" Spyro asked, looking between the three guardians.

"We deployed several squadrons of the finest fire dragons around to search there. Not a single sign of her anywhere around there." Cyril said, turning to the guardians with a small frown on his face.

"Munitions Forge? Cynder's old fortress? The Mountain of Malafor?" Spyro was getting desperate, spewing out any locations that came to mind.

"All thoroughly searched." Terrador sighed and an cast a melancholy look at Spyro. "I'm sorry Spyro, but I really don't know of anywhere to start that hasn't already been covered."

Spyro snorted angrily, a small jet of flame escaping out of his nostrils. Connan stepped forward. "Spyro, just chill out. What's your problem anyway?"

Spyro stopped pacing to glare at the ice dragon. "My problem is that Cynder could be in danger and no one knows where she is!"

Silence stretched inside the room. The guardians sat with bowed heads. Connan looked apprehensive and Pyrus bit his lip nervously. Spyro turned and resumed his pacing. Suddenly, a new voice sounded out into the room. "I know where she is."

All heads turned as the large doors opened again to admit the newcomer, who was escorted by two mole guards. The stranger was a dragon, well built but still quite young. His sharp talons clicked against the marble floor and his tail dragged slowly behind him, the two edged blade on the end lightly scratching the floor behind him. But the first thing everybody noticed were his scales. They were a pure white, marred only by a few spots of dirt and dust. Metallic gray scales completely covered his chest and two dull grey horns stretched slowly above his head. The most vibrant color on him was his bright, electric blue eyes, which methodically scanned the room in front of him.

With a wave, Terrador dismissed the moles to return to their post. This was going to be interesting.

Spyro quickly walked over to the dragon and stared at him with a pleading expression in his eyes. "Where?"

The blue eyes moved to focus on the purple dragon with an unnatural coolness. Pyrus eyed the new dragon suspiciously. Unlike anybody else, this dragon didn't seem overawed by meeting the purple dragon. If anything, he seemed rather bored. There was something not right with this dragon and Pyrus didn't trust him.

After taking a few moments to evaluate Spyro, the dragon responded. "She is being held captive by a renegade group of apes. It is unlikely to end well."

Spyro snarled. "Where is she?"

The white dragon looked at him calmly. "Spyro, you should know that nothing is free in this world. If I tell you, you have to promise to do something in return."

Before anyone could object, Spyro pounced, slamming into the dragon and pinning him against the wall. Sypro's claws wrapped around the dragons neck, cutting off his air flow. "No. You probably are in league with whoever took her. So you tell me now, or I will kill you."

Spyro relaxed his grip slightly, allowing the other dragon to respond. "Careful Spyro," he wheezed out. "Kill me, and you'll have nothing to go on."

Spyro growled and began to tighten his grip again before he felt paws clinging to him, pulling him away. With a great heave, Pyrus and Connan pulled Spyro off the other dragon, who slid limply to the floor. The guardians were on their feet, and Brigan was shouting orders. After ensuring that Spyro was not about to attempt to charge again, Connan and Pyrus released their holds on him. Spyro still glared at the other dragon angrily, his distrust still quite evident.

"Silence!" Terrador's booming voice rang out over the din. "We shall remain civilized as long as we are within the dragon temple. Spyro, please try to behave yourself."

"Yes, there is no need to be so rude to guests." Cyril said. "Now let's be at peace and do this the proper way. What is your name young dragon?"

The white dragon sat on the floor, checking his throat for injuries. His face had remained expressionless throughout the ordeal and he didn't even look remotely frightened at being threatened by the purple dragon. There definitely was something off with him.

"Zero." He said, slowly standing back up.

"Zero, that's an unusual name." Terrador mused. "Why don't you tell us what you want in return for information on Cynder's whereabouts."

"No." Zero's blunt answer caught everybody by surprise.

Brigan issued a low growl. "Now listen, I don't know who you are or where you're from, but regardless, these are the great guardians who govern our race and they deserve a lot more respect than you're giving them."

Zero turned to look at Brigan, his face still unreadable. "If I told you now, it is unlikely that you would agree and would merely force me to give up the information without giving me anything in return."

"I don't like this." Pyrus said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, me neither." Connan agreed, still carefully eyeing Spyro in case he decided to charge again.

Spyro grunted and turned to see the guardians deep in thought. "Wait, you can't seriously be considering this, could you?"

Terrador sighed. "I'm sorry Spyro, but we need Zero's cooperation if we are going to find Cynder before it's too late."

"Yes, but that's no excuse for walking headlong into a trap." Cyril stated. "Now Zero, does this task of yours have anything to do with an attack on a peaceful settlement, injury or harm to Spyro, Cynder or any of the dragons and their allies or the resurrection of Malafor?"

"No." Zero said flatly. There was a short pause before the guardians nodded in mutual agreement.

"It's settled then. We'll help you to the best of our abilities if you lead us to Cynder." Terrador said, still looking warily at Zero.

Brigan, Connan and Spyro all grumbled angrily at the announcement, but Pyrus was outright indignant. "What!? How do you know he's not working with the enemy anyway?"

"We don't." Terrador said simply. "But if what he says is true, then we need to free Cynder as soon as possible."

"It still feels like a setup." Pyrus said all the while casting a suspiciousness look at Zero.

Spyro marched up until he was nose to nose with the white dragon. "Fine, since the guardians agreed, I'll do whatever you want. But we get Cynder first, alright?"

Zero nodded. "I would expect nothing less. She is being held in a network of tunnels under the great desert to the North-West."

"The Badlands!?" Volteer exclaimed. "But that place is so unforgiving, inhospitable and completely uninhabited. How could anything live up there?"

A look of concern crossed Brigan's face. "It's so uninhabited that we didn't bother to sent any patrols that way. If she is up there, we have been looking in all the wrong places."

"Well then, we shall leave immediately if it is convenient to everyone." Terrador declared. "I would have preferred to wait for more dragons to get back, but I guess this will have to do. Cyril, stay here and watch over the city. Volteer, you're with me. Everyone else, gather supplies and meet back here in ten minuets."

As the dragons scattered off into different parts of the temple, Pyrus paused to look at Zero, who was sitting in a corner of the room, checking his claws for a nonexistent blemish. This dragon was hiding something, that was for sure. Also, no one could remain that calm whilst being held against a wall with a paw wrapped around their throat. Pyrus didn't know if Zero was telling the truth about Cynder, but he felt it was the wrong choice to trust him either way. Pyrus's sense of foreboding crushed any spark of happiness he might of had at the prospect of a fight as he ran deeper into the temple to collect supplies for the upcoming journey.

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Pyrus's wings ached as he flew through the whipping winds. The mid day sun beat down on him, the bright rays threatening to overheat his exhausted body. Reaching behind him into the bags slung across his back, he sighed in relief as he grasped a green gem, it's energy flowing in to replenish his own. A temporary solution at best, but it would have to do. Re-energized, Pyrus gave a few powerful flaps to catch up to the others.

They had been flying for almost two days straight. They had made a brief stop last night to get what sleep they could before rushing off again as soon as dawn broke. The lack of rest was most evident in Pyrus's aching muscles as they approached the last leg of the journey.

Ahead of him, Brigan, Connan and the two guardians flew in a loose line, also dead tired as well. But they all pushed onward silently, with not even Connan daring to complain about the harsh pace.

Up in the front was Spyro, who was doggedly following Zero as he lead the whole procession. Spyro was determined, no, obsessed with finding Cynder. He would have kept flying all through the night had Terrador not forced him to land and take a break. It was getting increasing clear that he would not stop until Cynder was safe. No matter the cost.

He wasn't the only one it seemed. Zero showed no signs of fatigue and would have also continued flying had Terrador not forced the landing last night. Pyrus had the feeling that this stemmed less from a desire to save Cynder than the simple fact that he was accustomed to long flights without stopping often. They still knew very little about him as he had not spoken a single word since the temple. And so far, he had made no effort to make the others trust him. It was as if he was purposefully trying to push them all away.

Pyrus's eyes moved from the white dragon to the sand dunes below. The Badlands were aptly named as nothing grew on the landscape below. The area was a massive desert, completely devoid of any water. Occasional windstorms could quickly escalate into billowing sandstorms, killing anything unlucky enough to be caught outside. During the war, the desert held no strategic value to either side, so it had been avoided by apes and dragons alike. If a rouge ape clan did indeed live here, they would have avoided the whole conflict.

Zero suddenly adjusted his wings, beginning the descent. Touching down next to a rock outcropping, Pyrus heard the tail end of Zero's explanation about the hidden entrance.

Spyro did a quick stretch to limber up before purposefully stepping toward the rock. "Let's get in there and rescue Cynder already."

"Wait." Everyone turned to face Zero, who was sitting causally next to the rocks. "Before you continue, you need to know what the task you agreed to do for me is."

"What?" Pyrus said, looking at Zero in disgust. "Someone's life is at stake and you're worried about this task that we agreed to do?"

"Yeah, get your priorities straight." Connan said, backing up Pyrus.

Zero looked at them coldly. "They are. Besides, I never said that the two objectives were in separate locations."

"You never said they were together either." Connan grumbled.

Zero ignored him. "When the apes captured Cynder, they were trespassing in my valley. It is highly probable that they will continue further intrusions and will disrupt my way of life." Zero stood, showing for the first time some slight agitation. "I need you to help me cripple their base here to prevent this."

"Why didn't you just say so in the first place?" Terrador asked. "If these apes pose a threat to dragons, we would have taken care of them ourselves."

"I had to be sure." Zero said, looking as emotionless as ever. "Even still, the apes have an...advantage."

"Explain." Brigan barked shortly. He was not one for inexcusable stalling.

Zero took a breath and began in the same flat tone. "When the apes were fighting Cynder..."

"You saw them fighting Cynder and you didn't help?" Spyro interrupted, clearly outraged.

Zero raised an eyebrow at the purple dragon. "The best way to kill a weed is to pull it out by the roots, not trim a few leaves." Spyro did not look satisfied with Zero's reasoning and continued to stare angrily at the dragon.

"As I was saying, Cynder seemed to be handling herself quite well and there was no need for me to intervene." Zero continued. "Then a new ape showed up. He was wearing a black suit of armor that seemed impervious to any elemental or physical attack."

"How is that even possible?" Brigan said as murmurs of doubt began to spread across the small circle. Only Volteer looked intrigued by the news.

"Was this armor so dark that it appeared to eat up any light that struck it?" He asked excitedly.

Zero nodded once. "Yes."

"Incredible, astounding and diabolical." Volteer looked quite contemplative.

"What is it Volteer?" Terrador asked, voicing the question for the rest of the assembled dragons.

Volteer explained rapidly. "It appears that these apes have found a way to refine pure malatrite, an extremely rare mineral named after its discoverer..."

"Malafor." Spyro finished, grimacing at the accursed dragon's name.

"Exactly." Volteer continued unabated. "This mineral appeared to have an adverse affect on dragons, draining their energy and resisting every element thrown at it. Not even Malafor himself was immune to its effects. Thankfully, not enough has ever been discovered to be forged into a weapon, so how did the apes collect enough to make a full armored suit?"

"What if there was a huge vein under this desert?" Pyrus inquired. "The apes would have discovered it and been able to mine it without anyone else knowing."

"Good thinking young dragon. I fear you may be right." Terrador shook his head. "This a threat that needs to be dealt with immediately before it threatens anyone else nearby."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Spyro said eagerly as he quickly pushed open the entrance.

Terrador stomped at large foot into the ground, sending a mini wave of sand outward. The roughly hewn hole quaked for a second before expanding to allow the larger dragons passage. Then, as one, they dropped down into the dark abyss below.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Battle beneath the Badlands

Drakken chuckled evilly as he made his way into the inner sanctum. These past few days had been just perfect for him. He had finally captured the great Cynder and his troops were massing for an attack on Warfang. All they were missing was some choice info that the prisoner was currently withholding. But that would be soon acquired.

Drakken barged through the doors to his lair like he owned the place, which he did actually. The apes inside all jumped to attention and nervously tried to gauge whether or not he was in a bad mood.

"Blood Claw, report." Drakken called out as he settled into his imposing throne.

His right-hand ape, Blood Claw stepped forward. Like his leader, Blood Claw bore many scars across his body. His left eye had even been torn out during a raid and a metal plate now sat coving the gapping hole. Slightly smaller than Drakken, Blood Claw was never the less a fearsome opponent. Although quite skilled with an axe, the long, blackened nails on each hand often served to be just as deadly.

"The troops just hit a new vein of malatrite and production has sped up again." Blood Claw reported. "Other teams are still working on excavating the collapsed tunnels, but it is unlikely to find more survivors at this time."

Drakken waved his hand dismissively. "Spare me the details, how long till we are ready to march on Warfang?"

Blood Claw nodded. "Assuming your prisoner cooperates, the troops can be assembled and ready to go in under two hours."

Drakken grinned, showing his yellowed teeth. "Excellent."

"You could almost say that nothing can stop you now sir." Blood Claw prompted.

"Oh Blood Claw, you have so much left to learn." Drakken leaned over to take the offered drink from one of the servant apes. "If you say stuff like that, then someone will show up to prove you wrong."

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The distant whirl of machines could still be heard as the group of dragons made their way down the gently sloping tunnel. They had waited just below the entrance for ten minuets before continuing to let their eyes adjust to the low light. Deeper into the cave, the air had cooled considerably and Spyro even felt himself shiver at the cool breeze. Puddles on the ground splashed as they walked through them and drops of water slowly dripped from the ceiling. That explained how the apes got their water in the middle of a desert at least.

Speaking of apes, they had not seen any since they entered the tunnel. Apparently the apes felt so confident that no one would find them that they didn't bother to place patrols or checkpoints.

They finally came to an intersection in the cave. The main tunnel continued forward while the two smaller side tunnels split off to the left and right.

Gathering the group close and speaking softly as to not echo in the large cavern, Terrador asked "Zero, do you know which way they took Cynder?"

"No, I have never been down here before." Zero replied simply.

"What do you mean? I thought you followed Cynder all the way down here." Hissed Pyrus.

"That would have been unwise considering my scales." Zero replied.

They were both shushed by Brigan as Terrador finished meditating on the best course of action. "Right, it would be better then if we split up. Volteer, Brigan and I will continue following the central passage. Pyrus and Connan, you go left. Spyro and Zero, take the right. If anyone finds Cynder, roar loudly to signal the others and make your way to the surface as quickly as possible. Everyone else, focus on crippling the mining equipment and killing the ape's leader. Everyone clear on the plan?"

A muffled "Yes sir" issued from the circle as all the dragons paired up.

"Then move out." Terrador said as he turned back around to face the dark tunnel beyond. The other teams quickly took off down their own tunnels and the room once again became quiet and deserted save for the tentative drip of water.

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Spyro and Zero continued down the tunnel in complete silence. Taking another right turn, they moved down the new passage, looking for any sign of the captive dragoness. Spyro wasn't exactly happy with the choice of partners, but he remembered that Pyrus and Connan would probably be more hostile and wary of the white dragon. He still didn't seem very trustworthy at all, but if he could help find Cynder, then Spyro could care less.

A low horn blast suddenly echoed throughout the caverns, followed by confused yells and sounds of fighting. "Guess they know we're here." Spyro said.

Zero's head whipped around as a clatter arouse from the nearest passageway. Spyro turned in time to see three half dressed apes stumble out into the hallway. Not expecting to see two dragons, the apes froze, still putting in the process of getting their armor on.

Taking the offensive, Spyro charged at the first ape. The air around him heated rapidly as he burst into a fiery comet dash. He connected with a thud, sending his opponent flying into the opposite wall, the smell of burnt fur filling the room.

Moving to face the other ape, who was struggling to draw his sword, Spyro stomped his foot into the ground. A large pillar of earth rose up under the ape, rapidly catapulting him towards the ceiling. There was a loud crunch as the pillar connected with the ceiling, flattening the ape.

Spyro looked around for the third opponent only to see Zero sitting calmly next to the body, having already torn the ape's throat out.

"We need to hurry before they execute Cynder." Spyro took off running down the hall, not even stopping to see if Zero was following.

More footsteps could be heard as the two dragons dashed down the hallway. Seeing a squad of apes running toward them down another hall, Spyro quickly erected a large wall of rock, sealing the passage and the cutting off the ape's approach.

"Left side." Zero said as he finally caught up to Spyro. Spyro looked to see an ape archer down another hall attempting to get a bead on the running dragons. Without pausing, Spyro opened his mouth, sending several icicles at the ape. The ape screamed as he clutched at the icy spear now protruding from his chest.

The sounds of pursuit slowly diminished as the two dragons made their way deeper into the network. They eventually came to a stop, Spyro panting heavily while Zero was only breathing a little faster than normal. "Any idea where we are?" Spyro asked after he looked around the wide chamber.

Receiving only a blank stare in return, Spyro nodded toward the door set into the wall next to them. "What do you think is in there?"

Zero walked over and gave the door a good push. It swung open easily and the two dragons stepped inside. They found themselves inside a high stone chamber, with the door behind them being the only exit. Weapon racks lined the walls, sporting a diverse collection of swords, axes, maces and bows. A group of practice dummies strongly resembling dragons sat on one end, each one bearing a multitude of cuts, gashes and arrow wounds.

"It's just an armory, let's go." Spyro turned to leave, but Zero held up a paw.

Pausing, Spyro could now hear what sounded like a faint whooshing sound. It seemed to be coming from one darkened corner of the room.

Suddenly, a large force slammed into Spyro, sending him skidding across the floor. Spyro attempted to stand, but found himself entwined in a large rope net. He opened his mouth to breath a burst of flame to free himself, but suddenly felt to tired to do so. Looking more closely at the net, Spyro could now see little black crystals woven into the strands.

"This just keeps getting better and better!" A large figure moved out into the torch light, his black armor causing a void of darkness to appear around him. "First I capture Cynder and now I get to kill the great purple dragon."

As he lifted his sword to deal the fatal blow, a white blur slammed into his legs. The ape stumbled, caught off guard by the sudden attack. Changing the sword angle, he swept it down to cleave the white dragon clinging to his legs, but Zero had already leaped away. Facing the new threat, the ape stretched before gripping his sword with both hands, ready for the next assault.

Zero didn't waste any more time as he charged the ape again. Opening his wings, Zero rose up to head level. Baring his teeth, he tried to get the soft spot under the ape's chin. Spotting the apes sword rushing to meet him out of the corner of his eye, Zero changed directions. But he wasn't quite quick enough.

The sword tip tore into his right fore leg, leaving a bloody cut as Zero pulled away. Landing hard on his three remaining legs, Zero stood shakily, his eyes never leaving his opponent or showing any pain.

The ape chuckled, casually swinging the now bloodied sword in a big arc. "Not even close. I could keep this up all day, while you and your purple friend don't have very long left."

Zero began circling his adversary, searching for an opening. The ape turned with him, swinging his sword anytime Zero got too close. The ape had the advantage here. He was blocking the only way out with his massive body and reinforcements would arrive soon. Time was against the dragons.

Spyro struggled and attempted to cut himself free, but quickly gave up as a cold numbness spread all over his body. For once, all he could do was to sit and watch.

Zero knew that he had to finish off this ape quickly before more arrived. The only problem was that he didn't have enough range to hurt the ape while avoiding further injury. He had to change tactics.

Stopping next to one of the weapon racks, Zero awkwardly grasped the hilt of a sword with his mouth. The sword stuck out obtusely from his face as he stared back at the ape.

The ape laughed. "Does the little dragon want to sword fight? You won't win, I guarantee it."

Zero ignored him and backed up to charge again. The ape readied himself, placing his sword in a defensive stance. Zero ran forward, the sword still clutched in his mouth. He spread his wings, preparing to leap at the helmet again. The ape anticipated Zero's movements and raised his sword high to block.

As soon as he did, Zero folded his wings and dove for the small space between the apes legs. "What the..." The ape sounded confused as he spun around to hit his foe. But Zero had already jumped up, the point of the sword lined up perfectly with the gap in the neck armor. With a massive push, Zero leaped up and jammed the sword into the ape's neck.

The ape screamed with fury and shook his body to dislodge the dragon. Zero quickly lost his tentative grip on the sword and flew across the room to slam into the far wall.

He slowly got up, dazed from the impact to see the ape still standing.

The sword stuck out from the apes neck, wobbling slightly as the ape shook himself. A loud guffaw issued out from the helmet as the ape reached up to touch the offending weapon.

"Two layers." He said as he tapped the sword. "And just for that, I'll make your death nice and slow."

Zero watched the ape, wild plans running through his head in quick succession. Deciding on one, he stood and opened his wings.

Taking off, Zero slowly gained altitude as Spyro and the ape watched below. Spyro wondered what he was trying now. Since fleeing was out of the options, it must be another attack. The ape soon came to the same conclusions and raised his sword again.

Reaching the ceiling, Zero folded his wings and fell like a rock. He rapidly accelerated, quickly arriving at a break-neck speed. Opening his wings at the last possible second, Zero swooped up just a few inches from the floor. Still traveling at a rapid pace, Zero dodged and managed to get under the unprepared ape's guard, narrowly avoiding the swinging blade. Curling himself up, Zero collided with the still quivering sword lodged in the ape's neck.

This time, the blade went all the way in up to the hilt, sticking out the other side with a sickening chink. A startled gasp was abruptly cut off and a faint glint of surprise was visible in the ape's dark eyes. Then the goliath toppled over, slamming into the floor with a resounding crash.

His foe vanquished, Zero limped over to where Spyro was still entangled in the net. Carefully extending one of his claws, Zero cut the ropes holding the purple dragon until Spyro burst out of the malatrite net.

Surveying the slain ape and the rapidly expanding pool of blood, Spyro turned to look at Zero. "Thank you Zero. You saved my life."

Zero said nothing, instead moving to peek outside into the corridor. "More will be coming soon, we need to return to the surface."

"What!?" Spyro exclaimed. "In case you are forgetting, we still need to find Cynder!" Spyro trotted over to the door only to stumble and almost fall.

"Neither of us is battle-worthy." Zero said. "Continuing on would most likely lead to one or both of our deaths."

Ignoring Zero's point, Spyro opened his mouth to retaliate when a loud roar reverberated through out the tunnel network. "Besides," Zero said. "They already found Cynder, so the best option is for us to return to the surface."

"What if the others need help?" Spyro asked, glancing down the direction the roar had originated from.

Zero raised an eyebrow. "Besides dying heroically, what aid could you currently provide them?"

Spyro opened his mouth, and then closed it. He felt incredibly drained from the malatrite exposure and didn't even have enough energy for a small spout of flame, let alone more combat.

"Fine." Spyro sighed. "But if they don't show soon, I'm coming back down." Spyro nodded toward the dark tunnel.

Zero said nothing as Spyro turned to dash off into the darkness. After a short check of his still bleeding leg, Zero limped after him.

/~\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

-Several minutes earlier-

Pyrus and Connan quietly made their way down the corridor. Faint echoes drifted up from beyond them, carrying incomprehensible conversations with them.

"How many apes do you think are in this place?" Pyrus whispered.

"I dunno, two? Maybe three." Pyrus paused to give an incredulous look to the smirking dragon.

"Never mind, let's just focus on the mission." Pyrus said as they continued to move down deeper into the complex.

The roar of the machines grew louder until Pyrus could see a light spilling into the tunnel up ahead. It was reveled to be a window looking back out into the main cavern. Carefully peeking out over the edge, both dragons gaped at the sight below.

Well over a hundred apes mulled about below, carting large buckets of malatrite across the room. Large drills spun and sparked against the opposite wall, providing a steady supply of the dark crystal. Black smoke belched out of the machines, filling the cavern with an irritating haze.

"Wow." Pyrus muttered as he slid back behind cover. "I didn't think they would have this much."

Connan chanced another peek over the edge. "Yeah, there's a lot more than three apes down there."

"Intruders! Sound the alarm!" The shout caught both of the dragons by surprise. Looking around, they saw the two apes that had spotted them disappear down the corridor. Taking pursuit, the dragons dashed after the retreating forms.

A loud horn sounded as they rounded the corner to find a small ledge overlooking the excavation. One of the apes sat next to the ledge and blew into a twisting arrangement of tubes, causing another note to be produced. The other ape was advancing on them with his sword drawn.

"Connan, silence the horn! This one's mine." Pyrus said as he intercepted the advancing ape.

The ape studied Pyrus as they slowly moved closer to each other. Impatient for the fight to begin, Pyrus recklessly charged forward. The ape side stepped and lashed out with his sword, scoring a small cut along Pyrus's right side.

Pyrus gasped at the sudden pain and stumbled. Sensing his advantage, the ape rushed forward and pinned Pyrus against the wall. The cool blade pressed up against Pyrus's throat as the ape grinned wickedly.

Thinking quickly, Pyrus breathed a small stream of fire directly onto the ape's weapon. The metal heated quickly and began to glow white hot almost immediately. The ape screamed and dropped the smoldering blade to the ground, waving his burn hand about all the while.

Pyrus wasted no time and pounced directly on top of the ape. With an unexpected burst of fury, Pyrus savagely ripped at the ape's windpipe with his claws. Striking again and again, Pyrus felt the ape's blood gush out to form a pool of blood around him. As the ape below him finally grew still, Pyrus stopped and took a startled step back, surprised at what he had done. Disgust crept up inside of him, making his knees weak and threatening making him sick.

"First kill?" Pyrus looked up to see Connan standing next to the other ape, it's head completely incased in ice. Connan sighed. "Me too."

"What about that grublin patrol you were always telling us about?" Pyrus asked, desperately trying to distract himself from the two dead bodies.

Connan shook his head. "There was only five of them. Dad did all the work." Connan's eyes went wide as he realized what he had said. "If you breath a single word of that to Gaia, I will make sure that you will never enjoy a hot meal again!"

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed." As Pyrus felt his revulsion about his killing begin to dissipate, he became aware of the deafening sounds of battle coming from the main cavern.

Connan looked over the ledge and whistled. "All the guardians are down there, wreaking those machines." Connan raised a paw and wiped away an imaginary tear from his eye. "I almost feel sorry for what all those apes down there are going through."

Thundering footsteps brought both of them back to their own predicament. Deciding that they would rather not fight a large contingent of apes, the duo took off running. But with each hallway they came to, sounds of ape squads could be heard advancing down them.

"Quick! Down here!" Connan pointed to a small hole in one of the walls. It would be a tight fit, but better than being torn to pieces by bloodthirsty apes.

Squeezing himself into the crawl space next to Connan, Pyrus held his breath as the ape squad passed not a foot away. If any of the apes paused to look, they would have immediately seen the dragon's vibrant scales contrasting with the dark cave. But none did, they only continued on toward the main cavern.

As the footsteps faded, Connan gasped out. "Pyrus, this is a lot closer to you than I want to be."

"The feelings mutual." Pyrus said as he carefully extricated himself, checking to make sure the hall was clear.

Connan pulled himself out and flopped back onto the floor. "Where to now?"

"The opposite direction from where those apes are going. Come on." Pyrus replied as he started moving off down the corridor again. Connan followed without complaint.

Continuing on stealthily, the two dragons checked every door that they came to, only to find empty bunk rooms and mess halls. The area was completely abandoned.

Pyrus perked up as the sounds of two voices arguing originated from up ahead. Slinking into the shadows with Connan right behind him, Pyrus slowly inched his way forward until he could just barely see around the corner.

Two apes stood on either side of a strong, steel door. Although fully equipped, they seemed quite bored. Straining his ears, Pyrus could just make out what they were saying. "I heard the alarm, and that means that we go report to the main cavern!"

The other ape shook his head. "You idiot, are you forgetting that we have special orders from Drakken himself?"

The other ape scratched his head, greasy fur sticking out of his helmet. "So?"

His companion look furious. "It means that if we fail to carry out those orders, he will kill the both of us!" Mumbling angrily, the ape turned to resume watching the corridor. Nudging the other ape, he pointed. "Hey, what's that down.."

That was as far as he got before a fireball struck his helmet, instantly roasting his head. The other ape drew is sword, but an ice missile struck him dead center, impaling him through his armor. Coughing up blood, he tried to rise but Connan's tail blade struck him, finishing the job.

"What do you think they were guarding?" Pyrus asked, eyeing the sturdy door.

"Only one way to find out." Connan said as he heaved on the rusty metal bolt.

The door swung open with an ear splitting screech, reveling a small stone chamber within. Pyrus walked in, eyes struggling to see anything in the dark room. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was not alone. A dark shape was laying motionless on the floor, occupying the center of the room.

Pyrus backed up, expecting the shape to leap up and attack, but nothing happened. After a few seconds, Pyrus called back into the hallway. "Hey Connan, there's someone in here. Bring a torch."

Connan promptly trotted in, carrying a lit torch in his jaws. As the light illuminated the chamber, both dragons gasped at what they saw.

Cynder groaned and slowly opened her eyes as she woke up. Temporarily blinded from the unexpected light, she growled cautiously at the two dark shapes. Both of the figures jumped and retreated slightly. The one holding the torch carefully set it down as the other spoke up. "Easy there, we're not here to hurt you."

"You lying piece of... Why don't you just kill me already?" Cynder growled and jerked against her chains, trying to get within biting distance.

The two strangers seemed confused. "Kill you?" One of them asked. "We're here to get you out."

Cynder blinked and refocused her eyes to see that the two shapes were not apes, but dragons.

Stepping forward, the red one explained, "I'm Pyrus and this is Connan. We're part of the rescue team sent for you."

"Sent for me?" Cynder asked, surprised. Other dragons were actually looking for her? "Do you know if Spyro is safe?"

"Last time I saw him, yes." Pyrus replied. "He's down here somewhere as well." As a relieved expression crossed Cynder's face, Pyrus turned to Connan. "Connan, see what you can do about this chain."

Connan nodded and reached over to grasp the black chain. He yelped and let go almost instantly, waving his hurt paw in the air. "Ouch, I'm an ice dragon and that thing is so damn cold that it burned me!"

Cynder's face fell. "Great, I'm still stuck here then."

Pyrus thought for a moment and then ran out into the hallway. He returned a second later with a set of keys that he had salvaged of the guards. Carefully holding the key as far away from the dark chain as possible, Pyrus slid it neatly into the lock. With a click, the cuff popped off and Cynder yanked her leg free.

"Can you stand?" Pyrus asked. Terror of the Skies or not, this was someone who clearly needed help.

Cynder gathered her self and attempted to rise, but she gasped in pain and quickly sank back to the ground. "I can't." She panted. "My side..."

Pyrus looked around to see an extensive gash running along her left flank. It had obviously been treated poorly and was beginning to show signs of infection.

"Connan, you got any red gems?" Pyrus asked.

"No, I left them all in my pack back on the surface." Connan said, shaking his head.

Pyrus took a deep breath and leaned down next to Cynder. "Alright then, lean up against me and we'll find a way out." He grunted as they slowly stood up, Cynder leaning heavily on him for support. They carefully made their way out the door, taking slow and painful steps.

As they cleared the cell door, Connan jogged on ahead to stand in the middle of the corridor. Taking a deep breath, he unleashed a massive roar that reverberated and echoed long after he had closed his mouth.

Cynder winced and rubbed her ear with a free paw. "Gee, why don't we just broadcast our location to the whole army of apes down here? It's not like they will hinder our progress at all, right?"

"Hey! It was Terrador's idea, OK?" Connan said defensively. "Besides, you have to admit that it was a pretty impressive roar."

Pyrus shook his head. "She's right Connan. We had better move." Connan moved to Cynder's other side, supporting her and speeding up walking considerably.

The trio made their way back the way they had come, moving as quickly as Cynder's injury permitted. Every door or turnoff they passed held the chance that a whole mob of apes was waiting to tear them to pieces, but none ever appeared. The whole cave, which had be bustling with activity a few minutes ago, was now completely deserted.

After making another turn into the labyrinth, Pyrus finally began to recognize some of the terrain. "This way." He said as turned down another corridor.

As they started down the new corridor, a soft clunk ahead of them caused them all to pause. Gently lowering Cynder to the floor, the two dragons faced out ahead of them, ready for anything.

Spotting some motion ahead of them, Pyrus bent down into a defensive stance. As it approached, the object refined its self into a small metal sphere. Pyrus and Connan glanced at each other, both curious as to what the sphere was.

Cynder's eyes went wide. "Bomb!" She yelled, but before any of them could react, the sphere detonated.

The blast wave sent Pyrus tumbling down the hallway, bumping and scraping himself along the uneven floor. Finally skidding to a halt, Pyrus hesitantly stood up, his ears ringing. Looking around, he spotted Cynder laying next to him, also struggling to stand. She mouthed words at him, desperately throng to communicate. Pyrus shook his head, trying to get his ears working again. Exasperated, Cynder pointed down the hallway.

Pyrus looked to see a small group of apes striding toward them confidently. They were lead by a large ape with two pale dragon horns arcing up from his helmet.

The ape's arrogant laugh was the first thing that Pyrus heard as his hearing finally returned to him. "So this is the group of dragons that has been causing me so much havoc? I'm not very impressed."

Extending his arm, Drakken grasped something sticking out of a pile of rubble and pulled. Connan was pulled free, knocked unconscious by the blast and his scales covered in a thin film of dust. Drakken unsheathed his malatrite sword and held it up to the ice dragon's neck. "What a pity. I was hoping for more prisoners, but now that I think about it, I would much rather kill you all. Starting with this one here."

As Drakken prepared to slit Connan's throat, Pyrus felt an uncontrolled rage build up inside him. He would not sit around helplessly as his friend got killed, just like the night his family died. A red haze built up around him as Pyrus roared, releasing the pent up energy in an explosive blast.

A massive meteor of fire and rock streaked down the corridor. Moving quickly, Drakken turned to let his malatrite encrusted armor take the brunt of the blast, unintentionally shielding Connan as well. The rest of his entourage weren't so luckily. Scrambling and leaping over each other in an attempt to get away, the fireball quickly caught up and consumed them. Nothing was left except for a few particles of dust. The meteor continued down the corridor until it collided with the large rock wall at the end, exploding with ten-times the force of the small bomb.

As the dust and ash settled, Drakken leered back at Pyrus and opened his mouth for another taunting retort when the whole cavern shook. Drakken stumbled, unable to maintain his footing on the shaking floor. Large chunks began falling from the ceiling and whole tunnels caved in on themselves. Pyrus's over the top attack had deliver the final blow to the already weakened cave system, starting a chain reaction of collapses.

Unceremoniously dropping Connan, Drakken turned and fled, hoping to escape the tunnels before they completely caved in. As he ran, the roof above him suddenly cracked and fell. Drakken's last scream was cut off as the rocks crashed around him, burying him alive.

Spent, Pyrus wavered for a few seconds before dropping to the floor himself. He could care less about the boulders crashing down beside him, all he wanted to do now was sleep. With a sigh, he welcomed in the encroaching blackness as the cave collapsed around him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Homecoming

Something nudged Pyrus, causing the red dragon to stir slightly. The nudge came again and Pyrus blearily lifted a paw to bat the intruder away. Finally opening his eyes, Pyrus cast an irritated look around to see the disturbance.

A small fire burned in front of him, its flickering light illuminating the area. Out of the corners of his eyes, Pyrus could see trees and various types on long grasses. Glancing up, he saw not an unfeeling stone ceiling, but a wonderful tapestry of stars. He was outside the cave.

Something poked him again and Pyrus moved to swat the intruding appendage. Connan backed off, a grin on his face and dust still clinging to his scales. Taking a second look around the campfire, Pyrus now noticed the rest of the dragons all sitting in a circle, all talking quietly amongst themselves. Pyrus groaned and rubbed his aching head. "How long was I out?"

"Just a few hours." Connan replied. "You missed all the apes running off into the desert, but not much else."

Pyrus moved to a sitting position, the cut along his right side experiencing a slight twinge of pain as he did so. "But the cave, it was collapsing. How did we get out?"

"You have Terrador to thank for that." Connan motioned to where the earth guardian was deep in conversation with the other adults. "He formed an earth barrier to protect us and then dug us out."

"So nobodies hurt?" Pyrus asked.

"You were the only one we were concerned about, not waking up after expelling that much energy." Connan shook his head. "From what Cynder tells me it was quite a show."

"Since I saved your life, does this mean that I never have to wake up to an icy floor again?" Pyrus grinned.

"No promises." Connan said with his trademark maniacal grin.

"So everyone is safe and the ape threat is ended." Pyrus sighed and laid back down. "Then if you'll excuse me, I'll just go back to sleep."

Connan nodded. "Alright, but we're flying out at dawn."

Pyrus yawned sleepily. "Of course we are." He drowsily closed his eyes.

Spyro couldn't be happier. Cynder was safe and the ones who had taken her had been punished. They could finally return to Warfang and live a normal life. Perhaps even as mates. He still had no clue to what she thought of that though.

Cynder was also relieved that she was finally free and at Spyro's side. For the first time in her life, no one person or cause was dictating her every move, she was free to do what ever she wanted. And currently, that was being next to Spyro.

She wondered for the umpteenth time if he had heard her confession down in the core. He certainly wasn't acting like he had, but Cynder was too afraid to ask or repeat herself. Compared to this, facing Malafor had been easy.

"Spyro." Spyro turned to look at the lovely dragoness sitting next to him, her scales sparkling in the firelight. "I just wanted to say thanks for coming to get me. I almost didn't think that anyone cared enough to find me."

"Cynder, you are my best friend and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you." Mentally, Spyro was berating himself for chickening out and taking the concerned best friend stance. Whenever he thought of expressing deeper feeling to Cynder, he just clammed up and couldn't find the right words. What was wrong with him?

"Oh." Cynder sounded disappointed. "Well, thanks anyway." She leaned in and pressed herself up against him, feeling the heat coming off his scales.

Spyro froze, unsure of what to do. Should he return it? Or perhaps give her a compliment? Eventually, Spyro gave up and relaxed into the embrace.

They both stayed there for some time, each secretly enjoying the other's touch. Cynder grinned to herself. Even if Spyro wanted to be just friends, she felt that this embrace had something more to it, a spark. She still had a chance.

As much as he was loath to break contact with the dragoness, Spyro stood and shook himself lightly. "Sorry Cynder, I just have some unfinished business."

After a quick search around the circle, Spyro spotted the white dragon he was looking for on the outermost edge, barely visible in the firelight. Zero had refused all help in concern to his injured leg. He sat away from all the other dragons, quietly binding his wound with a makeshift bandage made of various interwoven grasses.

Spyro stopped just short of the dragon, who made no effort to acknowledge his presence. Clearing his throat, Spyro began. "Listen, Zero. I just wanted to say thank you for helping me find Cynder. She would have been killed if it wasn't for you." Zero made no reply, he only continued to wrap the grass around his leg.

Spyro paused and then continued. "You also saved my life down there, so I should also thank you for that." Zero remained silent, completely focused on the task at hand.

Spyro frowned. This was a new experience for him. With the exception of Sparx, everyone had always treated him with respect, even though he had not asked for it. It was unusual to see someone so blatantly ignoring him.

Grass rustled as Cynder made her way over to stand next to Spyro. The red gems had healed her wound most of the way, but only time would completely fix it.

"You know Zero," Cynder said. "From what Spyro tells me there was no need for any of that blackmail. If you had simply asked the guardians, I am sure they would have given you their help freely."

Zero looked up, blue eyes studying the two dragons for a few seconds. Finally, he said, "I had not considered that."

"Yeah, well maybe you should. It might make people trust you more." Spyro said.

"So I assume you'll be coming back to Warfang with us to stay at the temple, right?" Cynder asked hopefully. "It would be nice to have some dragons our age to hang out with."

Zero tightened the final cord on his bandage and stood up. "No."

Cynder seemed taken aback. "Then where will you go?"

"Back to my cave." Zero replied shortly.

"You can't seriously prefer a life of solitude to living with others, can you?" Spyro asked, surprised. He could not imagine living all alone with no one to talk to. It would get boring very quickly. Not to mention lonely.

"Yes, now I must be off." Zero paused and stretched his wings. "I do expect this to be the last time we meet, so I bid you a long and good life, Spyro and Cynder."

With that, the white dragon launched off into the sky, quickly becoming indistinguishable from the stars above. Spyro and Cynder watched, slightly surprised by the sudden departure.

"I still don't trust him." They both turned to see Pyrus laying by the fire, listening to every word that was said.

"What are you talking about?" Cynder questioned. "Without him, both Spyro and I would be dead."

Pyrus just shook his head. "You don't get it. If those apes hadn't been threatening his precious cave, he wouldn't have even bothered to tell us about your capture. Mark my words, that is a dragon who only looks after himself."

/~\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Bright light shined down from the brilliant sun as the dragons slowly drifted through the sky. It was the second day of the journey home and the guardians had decided to keep it at a much slower pace than the trip out. As a result, all the dragons were well rested and eager to return to Warfang.

With a few extra flaps, Cynder soared over the others to gaze intently at the horizon, where the faint outline of the great city was just visible. Even from this distance, she could make out the massive temple that would soon be her home.

"Enjoying the view?" Someone called out. Craning her neck to look around, Cynder saw that Spyro had rose up to join her.

"It looks..." Cynder smiled, joy spreading across her features. "Perfect."

Spyro smiled as well. "Glad you like it. Won't it be nice to live normal lives for once, not having to run off to save the world every other day?"

"Yes, it would." Cynder said. They continued on in silence as the dragons steadily drew closer to the city. They finally alighted on the temple courtyard, Cynder gazing around with wonder at her new home.

"The moles built all of this for us?" She asked, still in awe of the impressive structure.

"Yep. Pretty luxurious, don't you think?" Spyro replied.

"There you are you big purple idiot!" Spyro and Cynder turned to see a familiar dragonfly dart out of a nearby doorway. "I've been worried sick the past few days. What were you thinking, leaving without first telling your own brother?"

"Sorry Sparx, but there wasn't any time to find you." Spyro said apologetically.

Sparx wasn't buying it. "Oh sure, like you couldn't have just hollered. And I see that we have the evil dragoness among us once again."

"Sparx! Be nice." Spyro snapped at the insolent dragonfly. Cynder backed away a few steps, unpleasant memories flashing through her mind.

"Alright, sheesh." Sparx sighed and reluctantly looked at the black dragoness. "Since you ensured that my clumsy, good-for-nothing brother got back in one piece, we're square."

Cynder blinked. "Really?"

Sparx groaned. "Yes, you are alright in my book. Just don't try any funny business with Spyro." Sparx smirked and Cynder's black scales turned a shade lighter as she caught the implication.

Thankfully, before the conversation could progress any further into the subject, Pyrus and Connan wandered over. Connan licked his lips and glanced around the circle of assembled dragons. "Since we are now all safe and sound, what say we go get a bite to eat? I'm starving!"

Pyrus nodded in agreement. "Me too. We can also see if Electa and Gaia are back as well. I'm sure they are dying to meet both of you."

Cynder gulped nervously at the last statement. Spyro didn't notice and nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! It will be great to finally have somebody other than Sparx to talk to."

"What's a matter, tired of my overly insightful knowledge?" Sparx asked as the dragons disappeared into the temple. The two guardians and Brigan watched them go.

"When do we start training Terrador?" Brigan inquired. "We need to make sure they can be prepared for when ever the next conflict occurs."

"Soon," Terrador replied, his eyes still fixed on the doorway the young dragons had departed through. "Give them a few days to adjust and fit in, then start on basic exercises. I don't expect them to have to be ready any time soon though."

The young dragons continued down into the temple, engaging in small talk along the way. Cynder hung back from the group, unsure if any of them wanted her presence. Pyrus appeared to be reserving judgment, while Connan couldn't care less that she had once been a mass murderer. If anything, he seemed overjoyed to have someone new to tell his jokes to, some of which were actually funny. Maybe, just maybe, she could finally have a chance to start over.

As the dragons entered the dining hall, Pyrus scanned the sparsely occupied tables. Spotting his targets, he nudged Connan, pointing to the table that was occupied by two very bored dragonesses.

Gaia lifted her head as they approached, eyes growing wide at the sight of the dragons. She all but leap up onto the table, pointing an accusing finger at Pyrus and Connan. "Where have you been? All Cyril would tell us is that you were on a mission with the other guardians and the purple dragon!"

"Relax Gaia, as you can see we are alright." Connan flexed one of his arms, a smug smile on his face. "I can't say the same for any of those worthless apes that got in my way though."

"Apes?" Gaia glanced over to Pyrus, silently asking if this was another one of Connan's tales.

He nodded. "Yep, apes. The two that got in his way were the most fearsome of warriors as well."

As Connan spluttered indignantly, Electra said "It is good to have both of you back safe all the same."

She froze up as Spyro and Cynder, walking side by side and each carrying an overflowing plate of food, sat themselves down at the table as well.

While Electra was on the verge of shutting down, Gaia didn't miss a beat. "So you must be the purple dragon that saved us all. Very pleased to meet you. I'm Gaia and my shy friend here is Electra." Gaia extended a paw, eyes shining bright with admiration.

Spyro took the offered paw, shaking it once before letting go. "Nice to meet you. I'm Spyro and this is Cynder."

Gaia blinked in surprise while Electra visibly flinched. Fear gripped Cynder's heart as she saw those suspicious and untrusting states directed her way once again. Clearing her throat, she quickly spoke up. "I'm not proud of the things I did in the service of Malafor, and I promise you that I am not the same dragon that you have heard of."

Electra didn't look up, her eyes glued to her mostly empty plate in front of her. Gaia seemed to to consider her for a moment before extending the same paw. "I'm sure everyone deserves a second chance. I'm glad to make your acquaintance." Cynder let out a small sigh of relief as she shook Gaia's paw.

Connan tapped the table impatiently. "Enough chit-chat. Does anyone want to hear the harrowing tale of how I risked life and limb to save the day?"

Gaia scoffed. "I'm sure the way you tell it involves you carrying both guardians out on your back while fighting off 600 sword wielding apes."

Connan looked scandalized. "Don't be ridiculous Gaia! If I remember correctly, many of the apes also had maces and bows, not just blades."

She just rolled her eyes and looked over to Pyrus, obviously expecting a more truthful story from him. Pyrus immediately launched into a recounting of the events, with Spyro and Cynder providing additional details while Connan continually tried to exaggerate on his deeds.

One thing led to another and Spyro and Cynder soon found themselves explaining the war and their own roles in it. Pyrus and Connan wolfed down their food as they had already heard this information before.

"Wow." Gaia said, nodding her head appreciatively. "I never would have expected anything like that, right Electra?" A mumbled reply came from the black dragoness, who had still not made eye contact with either of the new comers.

Cynder lightly tapped Pyrus on the shoulder and whispered "Is she always like this, or is it just because of me?"

He shook his head lightly and whispered back, "As far as I can tell, just the usual behavior. She was like this with Connan and I for the longest time before she finally opened up."

The doors to the dining hall banged open as Cyril strode into the room. Catching sight of the of the dragons, he called out. "Spyro! Cynder! The guardians and I just want a quick chat before we all go off to bed and all."

Connan squinted up at one of the high set windows, where the last rays of sun were just visible in the dark sky. "Is it really that late already? Time flies when telling heroic stories I suppose."

"We had better go, we'll see you tomorrow I hope?" Spyro asked as he got up from the table.

Gaia nodded enthusiastically. "You bet."

As the two young dragons followed Cyril out of the the hall, Electra finally looked up to watch their retreating forms. Gaia gave her friend a playful push and motioned to the closing doors. "Would it kill you to say something or even look up when you meet new people?"

Connan idly tossed a grape up into the air, opening his mouth wide to catch it. It missed, bouncing off his snout and rolling away under the tables. He watched it roll away wistfully before reaching for another. "Yeah, I mean, they do seem to be the right sort after all. They looked nice to me."

Pyrus grunted. "We'll see."

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Spyro and Cynder made their way through the twisting corridors of the temple, following Cyril as he lead the way. A small smile appeared on Cynder's face, a new spark of joy kindling in her heart. Other dragons were beginning to accept and include her as one of their own. Perhaps there would come one day where the world would finally let her past be forgiven and grant her a normal life. Her smile faltered as she thought of Electra huddled there on the bench, not willing to even look at her. She would have to see if there was a way to reassure the shy dragoness that that she presented no ill will toward her.

Finally arriving at the guardians quarters, Cyril pushed his way inside, still followed by Spyro and Cynder. The other two guardians waited patiently inside, watching the dragons enter. As Cyril took his place with the other guardians, Terrador stood to address the young dragons. "Spyro, Cynder, we just wanted to talk to you about what you planned to do now since the war is over."

Spyro and Cynder exchanged a look and Spyro spoke up first. "Well, I don't think we really have anywhere else to go, so I would like to stay here I guess." Cynder nodded in agreement.

Terrador breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I just want to make sure that you are here because you wanted to, not because we are forcing you. For all that you've done, you both deserve to live life the way you want to."

"Yes, but if you are living at the temple, there are certain duties you must do." Cyril said pompously.

"Duties?" Cynder asked. "Malafor's dead, what more could we possibly need to do?"

Terrador shook his head. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. Just a continuation of your training and helping with any odd jobs around the temple."

Spyro looked perplexed. "But Cynder's right. With Malafor dead, there's not much point to training."

"But there is!" Volteer burst out. "Even if their talents lie elsewhere all dragons seek to master their elemental and combat skills to some degree. Sparing with other dragons is a great way to spend time, make new friends and even find potential mates!"

"Besides," Terrador cut in. "Although I hope that it is not necessary, you are the purple dragon Spyro. There may come another day when you will be called upon to help protect the world again."

Spyro looked away. "I really hope that I don't have to do that again. All I want now is just a chance to live like we would have if Malafor never showed up."

Terrador nodded solemnly. "I, along with the other guardians, respect your decision. I do not wish any more hardships on you."

"But you shouldn't have to worry." Cyril said. "With that renegade ape clan disbanded, the only real threat remaining is scattered resistance from Malafor's army. But we'll soon uproot the blighters and restore peace to the realm."

"Training will start in a few days, so just take the time to rest up and relax." Terrador spoke in a caring tone. Spyro and Cynder nodded and stood to leave.

"One more thing." The two dragons turned back around to face the guardians again. "Although you are allowed to go down into the city, we would like you to avoid any..." Terrador paused, searching for the right words. "...public spectacles. Everybody knows how you two saved the world and many have requested to see you."

Cyril muttered something that sounded a lot like "lucky," but Terrador continued on regardless.

"Up here at the temple, you ought to be safe from the adoring mobs, but it would be wise to keep a low profile in the city." Terrador finished.

"Don't worry, we will." Spyro acknowledged the guardians with a short nod.

"Good. Cynder, your room is on the ground floor, south side near the other female dorms. Spyro, I trust you know your way around the temple enough to show her where it is?" Terrador asked expectantly.

Spyro nodded. "I think so."

"Excellent, then I'm off to my chambers." Cyril said, rising to his feet. "See you all tomorrow."

Cynder and Spyro also departed, reentering the temples passages. Neither of them said a word as they slowly drew closer to their destination.

"Well, here we are." Spyro gestured down a corridor branching off to their right. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to find your room on your own. As a guy, I legally can't go any further without getting reprimanded."

Cynder grinned. "Thank you for escorting me to my hallway Spyro. It was very gentlemanly of you."

Spyro looked away bashfully, not daring looking her in the eyes. "Um, sure, any time." As Cynder turned to continue on alone, Spyro's brain screamed at his body to say or do something, something that would prolong the conversation. "Cynder, wait."

"What is it Spyro?" She stopped, moving back to face him. Her heart beat a little faster as she thought of all the things that he might want to say to her. Perhaps it had something to do with what she said in the core?

Spyro took a few seconds to gather himself before finally looking up. Hesitantly, he spoke. "You...you do want to stay here at the temple, right? I wouldn't want you to leave."

Slightly disappointed, Cynder replied, "Of course Spyro. This is the only place I have to go. I would also not leave without talking to you first, not like last time."

"Oh." Spyro forced a laugh. "Good, I just wanted to make sure."

They stood in the awkward silence for a few moments before Cynder finally turned back around and said, "Good night Spyro."

"Good night Cynder." Spyro waited silently as he watched Cynder walk down the hallway before finally disappearing into one of the doors. As he too walked away toward his room, he silently cursed himself for not saying anything else.

"I'm going to tell her, I'm going to tell her eventually. I'll just give her a few days to adjust and fit in here at the temple, then I'll tell her."

"Oh sure." The other half of his mind chimed in. "A few days from now you are just going to make another excuse, then another. You'll never actually get enough courage to tell her."

"That's not true." Spyro retorted as he pushed open his own door. "I'll tell her, just you wait."

Spyro padded over to his bed, his mind still engaged in an all out civil war over Cynder. Curling up on the cushions, he closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep. Eventually, the arguing voices in his head quieted and he drifted off into the night.

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Soft clinks echoed through the darkness as rocks shifted and fell. A large boulder near the ceiling of the cave dislodged its self with a loud crunching noise as it tumbled down to the uneven floor, sending up a large cloud of dirt that left the two occupants coughing.

"I said be careful with that!" The larger of the two roared, striking the other upside the head. "Do you want the rest of this cave to come crashing down on that thick skull of yours?"

The smaller ape rubbed his head ruefully, staring back at his companion. "It wasn't my fault, I was just moving some of these smaller ones here and it came loose."

"Shut up and get back to work." The tall ape said, picking up his shovel from where he had dropped it. The smaller ape grumbled before finally picking up his own tool to resume digging.

It wasn't long before he broke the silence again. "Why are we down here anyway? Blood Claw said that he would lash anyone who dared set foot back in these caves."

The tall ape growled. "How many times do I have to explain this? I don't give a damn about any order that mongrel issues."

The smaller ape stopped, leaning on his shovel. "But why are we down here?"

The tall ape growled, all but throwing his shovel at his companion. "Why do I even look out for you? You have no foresight into the future at all."

"Well I never disobeyed an order from the chief." The smaller ape sniffed. "We never dared to question Drakken's orders."

"Exactly, but I don't want to obey that one-eyed dog."

The apes continued working for a few minuets before the small one spoke up again. "You still didn't tell me why we're down here."

The tall ape gave an exasperated sigh and set down his shovel. "Alright, I'll make this very simple for you. We are just two foot solders in the Shadow Claw Clan, right?"

"Right." The smaller ape nodded his head enthusiastically.

"And the only way we'll get promoted is if we get in good with the boss or we do some heroic feat in combat, which neither of us is that good at, right?"

"Right."

"And since Blood Claw doesn't even know we exist, we won't get promoted by him, right?"

"Right."

"So that means that the only way we can get promoted is if we get in good with Drakken, right?"

The small ape looked confused. "But Drakken's dead, isn't he?"

The tall ape waved a triumphant finger. "But no one's seen the body. Which means if he is still alive down here, he will generously reward the only two apes loyal enough to come looking for him. You got all that?"

The small ape scratched his head. "What was the first part again?"

The pair were interrupted as another boulder sailed past them, nearly crushing the tall ape. He leap back, howling with rage. "You idiot! Didn't I tell you to watch what rocks you moved? That could have killed me!"

The small ape took a step back. "I didn't do it, see?" He pointed to where he had left his shovel on the ground, proving that he had not touched the rock wall.

Before either of the apes could say anything else, the rest of the blockage began shaking wildly. They quickly backed away as more rocks cascaded down, creating stone piles at random intervals. A massive boulder groaned and then slowly tipped over, the boom echoing into the destroyed cave. Out of that hole, a single figure walked out.

After a moment of slack jawed surprise, both apes quickly dropped to one knee as Drakken strode out of his prison. His armor was banged and dented, the fur underneath thoroughly matted down with dirt. Most prominently, one of the horns adorning his helmet had snapped off in the middle, giving him a somewhat lopsided look. He gazed around the chamber, taking in everything from the boulders covering the floor to the two cowering apes before him.

He snapped his fingers at them, instantly commanding attention. "Is there an exit from the caves?"

"If you go back a ways and squeeze through some tight fits..." The smaller ape was cut off by a sharp cuff from the taller ape.

"What my comrade here means, my lord, is that there is an exit about half a mile from here." The tall ape said hurriedly, least Drakken kill both of them for the small ape's lack of respect.

"Show me." The two apes dashed off into the tunnels, followed closely by their returned-from-the-dead leader. As they went, Drakken looked around at the devastation that had been caused to his marvelous empire. They would pay, every last one of their misbegotten kind would pay for this. He would make sure of that.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Crystal and Malrick

Spyro groaned as he stretched, the last vestiges of sleep quickly disappearing as he got up from his bed. Judging by the sun outside his window, it was about mid-mourning. He had better go see if any of the others were up. Walking over to his door, he gave it a good push, only to find that it wouldn't budge.

Puzzled, he examined the door more closely. Upon inspection, he could now see that outer edge of the door was frozen in place by a thin sheet of ice. Breathing out a small torch of flame, Spyro traced around the door, quickly melting the ice which pooled on the floor in a large puddle. Satisfied that the door was free to move once again, he pushed it open to hear several voices conversing in the hall.

"See, I told you it wouldn't work. He's the purple dragon which means that he can use fire."

"I know, but it was worth a shot, right?"

Spyro looked around to see Pyrus and Connan casually standing next his recently unfrozen door. It didn't take a genius to know who was responsible.

"Good morning Spyro." Pyrus chimed in. "I trust you had a restful slumber?"

"Yeah, but I get the feeling that it almost turned into a hibernation." Spyro narrowed his eyes at Connan, who was pointedly looking the other way.

"Let's go see if the girls are up." Pyrus spoke quickly, hoping to avoid a hostile confrontation. "Then we can figure out what we want to do today."

Spyro nodded and the three set off towards the girls dorms. They rounded a corner to see the girls walking toward them. Gaia was in the middle, trying to coax a conversation out of Electra. It didn't seem to be working.

As the two groups closed distances, the unruly part of Spyro's brain began acting up again. "Go on, ask her to go out somewhere that you two could be alone, then tell her."

Spyro tried to think of a good counter-argument, but found that he quite liked that idea. Maybe he should listen to his subconscious more. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves as the two groups meet in the hall.

"Good morning Cynder," Spyro almost backed out, but nevertheless forced out the rest of the sentence. "Do you want to go down to the city with me? I don't think we got a proper tour last time." Spyro mentally slapped himself, what kind of stupid idea was that?

Cynder glanced hesitantly toward the other girls. Electra didn't look up and Gaia just shrugged ambiguously. Cynder turned back, smiling at Spyro. "Sure, I'd love to."

The two set off at once, moving down the hallway to the nearest door to the courtyard. Upon reaching it, Spyro grabbed it and held it open for Cynder, allowing her to pass through before following himself.

As the door swung shut, Pyrus was the first to break the silence. "Well that was unexpected."

Gaia raised a paw to stroke her chin, staring intently at the door that the two dragons had just left through. "I can't help but wonder if there is something more to their friendship than they're letting on."

Connan nodded. "Quite. I guess you two beautiful ladies will just have to settle for the humble company of Pyrus and I."

Gaia shook her head. "Actually, we were planning on a girl's day out. Even without Cynder, that's what we are still planning to do. Sooooo, see ya!" The two girls also took off down the hallway, following the same route as Spyro and Cynder.

Connan looked snubbed. "Can you believe that? Who could actually not want to be in my company? The nerve of them."

Pyrus just rolled his eyes and gave Connan a light punch on the shoulder. "Who needs girls? We can have fun just between the two of us."

Connan looked heartened by the statement until a loud yell reverberated through the temple. "Connan!"

Connan winced and sighed loudly. "Great, I should have guessed my dad would want me to start training early. So it's just you buddy, have fun!" Connan dashed off in the other direction, knowing that too long of a delay would result in more laps around the temple.

Pyrus looked around and saw no one else standing in the hallway. "Unbelievable." He said to himself. "They all left me."

He stood there for another few seconds before making up his mind. He stalked off down the corridor, still talking to himself along the way. "Fine, you know what? I'll go have fun all by myself. I can still do that, right? How hard can it be?"

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Warfang market always was a bright confusion of color and noise, bursting with multitudes of dragons and other species going about their daily shopping. It was so vital to daily life in the city that it had been one of the first places repaired after the siege. Not a single crater or pile of rumble could be spotted in the vicinity. The brightly colored vendor stands stood in neat rows, their owners bragging about the latest sales. Vibrate ropes and flags clung to the buildings surrounding the market, increasing the already festive mood. The first shipments of fruit from the countryside had just arrived and they were practically flying off the shelves to be consumed by the ravenous mobs. The defining din forced friends to speak louder to be heard, with only added to the uproar. The two dragonesses exiting a makeshift shop were no exception.

"Why didn't you buy that necklace Electra?" Gaia led the way, muscling the crowds out of the way so the more timid Electra could follow in her wake. "I thought that he was offering more than a fair price for its workmanship."

"I really don't want to draw any extra attention." Electra raised her voice to be heard over the chattering crowd. "Someone might ask me where I got it and..."

"And you won't be able to talk to them." Gaia finished. "I thought that a nice piece of jewelry would make you a little bit more self-confident." A smile appeared on Gaia's face as she snapped two claws together. "That's it! Maybe you just need a little bit more training! That always makes me feel more confident."

Electra tried to formulate a response, but they were brought to a halt by a well fattened group of moles trying to haggle down the price of some venison. Oblivious to anything except getting a few coins off a deal, the moles angrily clamored around the stall, temporarily halting all cross-traffic. Gaia tapped a foot impatiently for a few moments before stepping in. "Hey! Are you going to let us past or what?"

The moles turned as one, ready to tell the impatient youngster to mind their own business and respect their elders. When they saw the assertive green dragoness, ready to shove them all out of the way with an earthen wall, they reconsidered. They grudgingly parted, allowing the dragonesses and the backed up crowd behind them to move through.

"Maybe," Electra said, resuming their conversation. "But I don't think that any amount of training would enable me to do something like what you just did."

They turned down a side alley, leaving the main market area to escape the crowds. Gaia made an exasperated snort. "There's got to be something to make you talk. You'll never get a boyfriend at the rate you're going."

"Hey!" Electra gave a reproachful look, stung by the assertion. "I could if I wanted to."

"The only two boys you talk to are Pyrus and Connan." A smile appeared on Gaia's lips as another light bulb went off inside her head. "Why don't you ask out Connan? He's a very nice dragon and is always good for a laugh."

"I don't think so." Electra said, looking away. "He seems to be a little too...enthusiastic."

They exited the alley, entering a sparsely populated square. Gaia shrugged. "Alright, Pyrus then. What ever floats your boat." Before Electra could respond, Gaia gave an uncharacteristic squeal and pointed excitedly across the square. "Look! There he is!

Electra looked up across the square to see a group of dragons entering from the other side. Almost all of them were female, dancing and fawning behind a muscular blood-red dragon. Even though he was close to their age, this dragon stood a full head above Electra. Black scales made up his secondary color, giving him an almost menacing appearance. His tail was held aloft confidently, the end a mass of black spikes. The horns were also quite imposing, two sheer black monoliths rising directly up from his head. His face was sharp, well-defined and something that most dragonesses would consider handsome. Catching sight of the two new dragonesses, he altered his course across the square to meet them, still followed by his female entourage.

"Hello ladies." His silky smooth voice sounded out coolly as he stopped in front of them.

"Hello Malrick." Gaia replied, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously. Electra took a few steps back, cowering behind Gaia.

"What is such a lovely Earth dragoness such as yourself doing walking through these destroyed streets? You could fall and get hurt." Malrick continued, his brown eyes appreciatively taking in every inch of Gaia's body.

"I can take care of myself, I have some of the best teachers in the city." Gaia sounded a little huffy at the implication that she was just another helpless female. She quickly hid the expression though, replacing it with a suggesting grin.

Malrick nodded, a small smile gracing his face. "I thought I recognized you. You train up at the temple, correct?"

"Yes, is that bad?" Gaia asked hesitantly.

Malrick shook his head lightly. "Not at all. You know, I considered joining the classes up there, but decided that I didn't want to show anyone up." To emphasis his point, Malrick turned and kicked a small piece of debris that was sitting next to him. The rock speed off, the force of the kick sending it clear over the surrounding rooftops. They didn't hear an impact, but a large flock of birds suddenly took off from that direction, squawking angrily at the well shot missile.

"Show off." Electra thought, but she didn't dare say this out loud. The rest of the dragonesses didn't have the same reservations however.

"Wow! Did you see how far that went!" "It was such a good kick!" "Malrick, you are the strongest dragon ever!" The tag-along dragonesses piped up, each trying to reclaim Malrick's attention.

He waved a paw to silence them and looked over to Gaia, who had not yet commented on the display. She bit the inside of her cheek for a second before speaking up. "Not bad, but I think I can do better." Taking another small rock that was about the same size, Gaia placed it down it the street. Taking a few steps back, she coiled her muscles, ready to strike.

Dashing forward, Gaia wound back her foot and it connected with the rock solidly. The rock shot off like it had just been fired from a cannon. It vanished over the roof tops to disappear into the city. Although they still couldn't see where it landed, it was apparent that the shot had far outdistanced Malrick's attempt.

Electra smiled and nodded at her friend, who gladly returned the nod. The rest of the dragonesses looked scandalized. "How dare she upstage Malrick?" "Who does she think she is!" "It's obvious that she cheated, she is an earth dragon after all."

They all went silent once again as Malrick turned to study Gaia, his expression unreadable. Finally, the same small smile appeared on his face as he acknowledged the superior kick. "Excellent shot if I do say so myself miss..."

"Gaia." Gaia said as she extended a paw.

Malrick took it, shaking it for a few seconds before letting go. "Gaia. What a nice name. I certainly hope to meet such a beautiful dragoness again soon." And with that, he departed, the gaggle of dragonesses still swarming behind him.

Ignoring the jealous stares directed her way, Gaia sighed dreamily, gazing at the rapidly disappearing dragon. "Isn't he just perfect?"

"Not really." Electra replied. "He seems a little full of himself if you ask me."

Gaia tuned and marched back the way that they had come. "Oh tsk. One of these days you'll find a boy that you think is cute and then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Now let's go, I think I'm going to buy that necklace that you so politely refused."

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the market, another pair of dragons was making their way through the city. Spyro and Cynder had spent most of the day so far wandering the city and secretly enjoying each other's company. Reconstruction was already well underway, but buildings that were destroyed by projectiles or gutted by flames were still an all too common sight.

The occupants of the city were another matter. Almost all of them stopped and stared, whispering excitedly at the sight of Spyro. Twice, Cynder had to intervene to save him from dragonesses intent on seducing him. They soon learned to avoid main through-fairs and stick to alleys or rooftops. The latter was always empty and offered spectacular views of the city.

Currently, they were standing on the deserted balcony of an abandoned house, looking out over the market. The citizens moved about below, none of them bothering to glance up to spot the two saviors perched overhead.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Spyro looked beside him to where Cynder was watching the crowd. "I mean, this is what everybody does when there's no fighting or war. It just seems so..."

"Simple?" Spyro finished. "I know what you mean. Even if we are going to continue training, it will be such a change from what we were doing previously." Spyro looked back to all the people going about their daily business below. "I'm almost at a loss as to what to do with myself."

"At least you have something to draw on." Cynder said, her face suddenly becoming hard.

"What do you mean?" Spyro asked.

Cynder leaned put over the railing, taking a few seconds before replying. "Before everything happened, before you freed me, you were just living a normal life down in the dragonfly village."

"I don't know about normal." Spyro chuckled. "It's hard to be normal when you're ten times larger than everyone else."

"Still," Cynder said, not looking at him. "It must have been something close to a simple life. Not fighting impossible odds or saving the whole world and everybody on it."

Spyro suddenly understood what she was getting at. Ever since they got back to Warfang, Cynder had been rather withdraw. It was like she was always asking if she was doing the right thing, making sure that she was conducting herself properly. Ever since her birth, she was stuck in a non-stop cycle of training and fighting that had continued even after she switched sides. She had no idea how to act casually around others.

"Cynder, listen to me. I've never had a simple life. In the dragonfly village I was always considered some sort of freak and then there was the whole thing with stopping Malafor. I certainly don't see us having a normal life either, now that we saved the world and all. But I'm am sure that everything will turn out just fine. We just need some time to adjust."

"Besides," he said with a grin. "How much fun would a normal life be anyways? Do any of those people down there look like they are having a blast?" Cynder gave a light, musical laugh that made Spyro's heart flutter. "And if I had a normal life, I would have never meet you."

Cynder finally turned around to look him in the eyes, bestowing him with one of her rare smiles. "Thanks Spyro. You always know what to say."

"Anytime." Spyro said, gazing back into her beautiful blue eyes. This was it, he was going to tell her...

Cynder broke the mutual stare, looking back into the crowd with a curious expression. "Spyro, does that figure down there look familiar, or is it just me?"

"Huh? What?" Spyro's gaze darted around as he tried to rearrange his thoughts.

"Down there." Cynder pointed. Spyro looked and quickly spotted the culprit. A dark figure was skirting the edge of the market, avoiding contact with everyone else as much as possible. A tattered clock hid much of them from view, but the two protruding gray horns and long white tail dragging behind them gave Spyro enough information to identify the dragon. With a nod from Cynder, they both took off, shadowing the the figure as he turned down a dark alleyway.

Landing quietly behind the figure, Spyro took a deep breath and announced, "Zero. To what do we own the pleasure?"

The figure froze before slowly turning around to regard them with two electric blue eyes. "Spyro. Cynder. I had not expected to encounter you here." His voice was as calm as always and carried no hint of surprise at meeting the two dragons.

"So what brings you to Warfang Zero?" Cynder asked. "I thought you were going back to your cave to live in solitude."

"Conditions there became unfavorable for continued occupation." Zero replied, his expression never changing.

"Then why are you in Warfang?" Spyro glanced down and saw that the small wound on Zero's leg was still there, although now it was dressed with rags as opposed to grasses.

"Secluded mountain caves are a rare commodity." Zero said. "The only solitude comparable to the wilderness is the solitude that one experiences in a large city."

"So in short, you're looking for a new place to stay." Cynder summarized, raising an eyebrow at the clocked dragon. Zero stared at her for a few seconds before giving a curt nod.

"Why don't you come live at the temple with us?" Spyro gestured up at the floating fortress. "I'm guessing that you don't have any money and it's probably the only place that doesn't require rent."

Cynder nodded. "I'm sure the guardians would be more than happy to have another dragon to train."

Zero remained silent for a minute, comparing his options. Eventually, he exhaled and quickly began to extricate himself from the cloak. "It seems that I have little choice, lead on." He balled the cloak up and held it in one paw, ready to depart.

Spyro and Cynder shared a breif glance and took off again, this time followed by Zero. As they steered up to the temple, Cynder looked back to study the white dragon. Given his attitude from the last time they met, it seemed unlikely that he would so easily forsake his cave in favor of living with others. Although Cynder was capable of recognizing when information was being hidden or lied about, it was hard to tell anything from Zero. So many of the traditional emotional ticks and clues were missing, so much so that he could really lie to her all day and she would be none the wiser. But hopefully, they would end up on good enough terms to not worry about such deception.

They soon set down in the temple courtyard. If Zero was impressed at all with the architecture, he didn't show it.

"We'd better go see the guardians." Spyro said. "I'm sure they'll give you a room."

Zero said nothing. With a sigh, Spyro turned around to make his way to the far door. The group was about halfway across the courtyard when they first heard it.

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Pyrus shifted his body weight, moving just enough to avoid the crumbling remains of a tall building. He swooped low over the city, barely clearing each rooftop. Despite his previously indignation, he was glad for some solitude. Flying by himself gave him some time to properly clear his head while also giving an adrenalin rush from almost crashing into all the obstacles. And the battle-damaged city had more than enough obstacles.

Warfang had not always been his home. In his youth, his family had rode out the war in Stone Tooth, a massive fortress dug into the side of a mountain. Almost all of the population was made up of dragons, with a few moles to act as smiths. It was a place breed for war. Every building had some defensive role to play and the tall walls were said to be invincible. The defenders were equally fearsome and were the only ones ever to successfully hold off Cynder's onslaught, while staining heavy casualties in the process.

Even after Cynder had seeming vanished, the keep faced hard times. It was soon surrounded and placed into a perpetual siege that lasted over two years. Thankfully, a hidden network of tunnels and an underground river managed to adequately supply the fortress and avoid starvation. Siege towers, catapults, and battering rams all tried to breach the walls, but none prevailed. Pyrus remembered listening to the daily stories of how the fighting went, many of them embellished with imaginary heroic deeds. He couldn't wait to be able to fight and add a few of his own stories to the mix.

But then, the enemy got crafty. Instead of assaulting the keep directly, they sent small teams under the cover of darkness further up the mountain. The next morning, they detonated explosives and created a giant rock-slide that bore down directly on the fortress. Many were crushed in the resulting impact and the confusion was enough for the grublins to finally capture the walls.

The remnants of the defenders, Pyrus's family included, fled into the supply tunnels, hoping to escape the ruins of Stone Tooth. After a day of rushing through the dark tunnel, Pyrus's family emerged on the other side. Relived to have evaded capture and deciding to rest out in the open, the rag-tag group of refugees settled in a nearby clearing. Little did they know that they had been followed...

Pyrus shook his head, blotting out what happened next. Remembering that night would only serve to put him in a bad mood the rest of the day. But maybe if he had done something different, they would be here flying next to him...

Suddenly, a large flock of birds rocketed up from directly below him, all of them squawking angrily. There was no time to dodge, he was flying too low. Shielding himself with his fore-legs, he winced as several collided with him, the shape beaks pecking incessantly at his scales. He reflexively folded his wings, dropping out of the flapping cloud as it continued upward. Striking the nearby roof hard, he quickly slid down the incline, his claws unable to find any traction. Reaching the lip, he tumbled over to fall the last twenty feet to the ground.

He hit with a crash, several of his limbs striking the stone at bad angles. His ears rang with the sounds of angry birds and feathers stood out, still clinging to his body. He had a real bone to pick with whoever had seen fit to send such a swarm of disagreeable birds fleeing in all directions.

Still, could be worse. At least he had something to break his fall. Then he felt what ever he was laying on move. He also suddenly became aware that the squawking sounds he was hearing had nothing to do with the after effects of the bird attack.

"Get off of me you ignoble ruffian!"

Pyrus scrambled off, almost tripping over himself in haste. He turned back around, hoping to offer a helping paw to who ever he had just inadvertently crushed.

She was a light blue dragoness, the sun reflecting off of her dutifully polished scales. A spotless snowy white chest shone out brightly, almost blinding in its brilliance. Her claws, horns, and tail blade were short and impeccably filed, going her a dainty, sophisticated air. Gold bracelets were clamped around her ankles, each bedazzled with various rubies, emeralds and diamonds. A simple silver chain hung around her neck, the locket adorned with a sparkling sapphire. She was, in a word, beautiful.

Her violet eyes bored into him disdainfully. "Well? Are you going to spend all day gawking or are you going to help me up?"

Pyrus realized his mouth was open and hurriedly closed it. "Oh, I'm... I'm so sorry. Here." He extended a paw, while at the same time shaking his head to dislodge the rest of the feathers.

She leered at him for a few seconds before turning away from the offered paw. "I do not need help from some filthy degenerate from off the street." She picked herself up, brushing a non-existent layer of dust off of her before stopping to pick up a bag of spilled groceries that she must have been carrying.

Pyrus's brain motivated him to action, regardless of her rude demeanor. "I am so sorry, truly. Can I help you pick up at all?" He also bent down, picking up an apple that had rolled his way. Another feather drifted down in front of his eyes, silently mocking him.

"No you may not!" She snapped, snatching the apple from his grasp. "A street rat like you is probably just looking for an opportunity to steal some of delicious food that I paid for."

"Hey!" Pyrus was starting to get offended. Beautiful or not, that last comment was uncalled for. "I was just trying to help! No need to be rude."

"Oh I'm not the one being rude here." She ranted on. "One would think that your parents would go about and teach their child some manners!"

"They're dead." Pyrus said coldly.

"Oh." Her expression softened for the briefest of instants before her initial anger resurfaced. "That is still no excuse to run around and knock over respectable dragonesses such as myself."

"It wasn't my fault!" Pyrus exclaimed defensively. "There was a big flock of birds that flew up into me. And I said I'm sorry. Multiple times"

She snorted skeptically as she finished stuffing the last of her goods into the bag. Pyrus sighed, scratching his head. There had to be something he could salvage from this encounter. "Can I at least get your name?"

"Crystal." She said. "And I don't give a damn about what yours may be." Crystal slung the bag over her head and prepared to march away at all due haste.

Pyrus was about to respond with an angry retort when a loud clanging filled the air, drowning out all thought and sending what ever birds that were still in the area alight. "Oh, what now?" Crystal said, glancing up at the nearest guard tower.

Pyrus cocked his ears. "Those are the alarm bells. The city is under attack."

"Under attack?" Crystal asked. "By who? Malafor's dead."

"I can think of plenty of enemies who still want us dead." Pyrus said, remembering the ape clan in the Bad Lands. "You should run on home, you'll be safe there."

Crystal growled angrily. "I don't take orders from dirty little street rats like you."

Pyrus had been having a bad day. His friends had not wanted to hang out with him, he was knocked out of the sky by a flock of pigeons, and now a regal little princess was insulating him to his face. Plus, if those alarm bells were right, his day was about to get a whole lot worse. So it was perfectly justifiable for him to snap like he did.

"Fine, stay out and get flattened by a stray cannon ball. Who knows, maybe it will be an improvement."

And with that, he took off into the air, leaving a speechless dragoness behind him. Doing a quick circle in the air to get his bearings, he spotted several dragons flying off towards the east wall. With a mighty flap, he sped away after them, heading toward the imminent attack.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - The Tower

Spyro blasted through the air, Cynder right behind him. They had just heard the alarm bells ring off a warning to the city, announcing an attack. One thing was for sure, neither of them was going to sit by idly while others were out fighting for their lives.

A large gust of air buffeted Spyro and Cynder as a large, yellow dragon flew past them, his larger wings carrying him towards the wall at a much faster rate. It was then that Spyro glanced around and discovered that Zero was not with them. He had just assumed that the white dragon would be just as eager to help as they were, not sitting the fight out in the safety of the temple.

Cynder noticed him slowing down and shouted over the sounds of the wind tearing past both of them. "Spyro! What's wrong?"

Spyro shook his head. They could deal with the reclusive dragon later, right now they were needed on the walls. "It's nothing, let's go." He said, reaffirming his flight path.

They alighted on the wall, which was packed to the brim with defenders. Carefully pushing their way to the forefront, Spyro and Cynder gazed out over the medley below.

Grublins. Lots of Grublins. The whole field was covered in the diminutive green demons, all of them screaming incomprehensible war cries and brandishing twisted blades.

Spyro blinked, confused. As fearsome as the display was, they didn't seem to pose the slightest threat to those up on the walls. Then he saw the ladders.

Makeshift ladders bound together from branches and scrap metal were being carried toward the wall on the backs of grublins. As Spyro watched, one of the ladders reached the wall and began to rise up, several grublins already clinging to the upper rungs. The ladder collided against the wall and was immediately pushed back by the defenders. But the sea of grublins below quickly steadied the ladder and it swung back towards the wall.

"Spyro, Cynder, good to see that you are here." Nearby defenders inched away to make room for the three guardians and Brigan to set down on the wall. Connan glided in just seconds later, skidding to a halt next to Cynder.

"Sorry we're late!" Spyro turned to see the other two dragonesses, Electra and Gaia, drop out of the sky to land next to them.

Connan, still trying to catch his breath, looked up and marveled at the simple interlocking strands of the gold-wire necklace Gaia was wearing. "Wow, that is a beautiful necklace you got there. Where did you get it?" Brigan snaked out a wing tip and rapped his son sharply on the head, casting a single glance the said "focus."

Terrador cleared his throat, regaining everyone's attention. "Alright listen up, here's the plan..."

"I'm here, I'm here!" Terrador sighed impatiently as Pyrus landed down on the wall as well. Oddly enough, a few feathers adorned his head, lightly ruffling in the breeze.

"As I was saying," Terrador resumed. "The best way to neutralize the ladders is to cause enough chaos on the ground so that they can't be pushed back up. Spyro and Cynder, I'm sorry to ask this of you, but we need your help."

"Of course." Spyro and Cynder nodded. "How can we help?"

"I don't mean for you to get an inflated ego," Cyril said pompously. "But you two are probably the best fighters we have. Just follow us down there and kill as many of the blighters as you can."

Spyro nodded. "Sounds simple enough."

"And what about us?" Everybody looked to where the other four dragons were standing, looking up expectantly. Pyrus spoke again. "What can we do to help?"

Terrador moved a paw and pointed south over the city. "The Southern defenses are still in sad shape and it looks like most of the guards have been redeployed to here." Terrador stomped a paw down and stared directly at Pyrus. "Go down there and make sure that everything is in order."

"What!?" Pyrus exclaimed. "You're keeping us out of the action again?"

"Pyrus." Terrador's voice was hard and cold, just daring Pyrus to disobey and see what would happen.

Pyrus glared at the guardian for a few seconds before finally lowering his head in submission. "Of course, Master Terrador."

He took off quickly, the rate of his departure leaving several gouges in the stone wall. The other dragons followed him, albeit at a slower speed.

Spyro frowned. Terrador's decision to keep out several dragons who just wanted to help didn't sit well with him. It wasn't like they were bad fighters, the battle in the ape cave network proved that. They were just someone that wanted to help and were deliberately denied that right.

Terrador didn't seem to be having any second thoughts on his decision. Walking to the edge, he spread his wings and looked back at the others. "Is everyone ready?"

They all replied in the affirmative, lining up next to him on the wall. Terrador nodded and then leapt out over the battlefield, the others close behind.

Spyro impacted the ground at full force, sending out a column of flames that incinerated several grublins. Before their comrades could react, Spyro lashed out with tooth and claw, felling several more in quick succession. Spinning back around, an freezing mist escaped his mouth, encasing several more in ice and clearing the immediate area around him. Spyro took a deep breath, waiting for the next attack.

He didn't wait long. Several groups of grublins charged him from the front, waving their weapons in the air. Opening his mouth, Spyro released a bright bolt of lightning that arced from one grublin to the next. They all dropped, pierced by the sizzling beam of electricity.

A scream sounded out directly to his right and Spyro spun around to see another three grublins rushing in from the side. Before he could even react, a green glob of liquid exploded over the grublin's heads,showering them with tiny drops of the liquid. The screams of fury turned to screams of agony as the acid quickly melted holes in the grublin's skin and armor.

Spyro look around to spot Cynder near by, engaged in her own battles. They shared the briefest of glance before Spyro began to make his way over to her. Standing back to back, they became unstoppable, leveling any opponent that challenged them, just like the old days.

They would thank each other for the assistance later, but for now, there were much more pressing matters to attend to.

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"This sucks."

The group of dragons were spread out over the South-East corner of the walls, the closest they could get to the action without disobeying orders. A quick flight along the southern wall had confirmed that nothing was amiss and now the dragons were stuck down here, away from all the action.

"I mean come on, we are all good fighters, right?" Pyrus looked around, trying to gain any allies. "Connan, both of us were down in those tunnels, helping rescue Cynder. Didn't we prove ourselves there?" Connan didn't make eye contact, likely not wanting to get caught up in Pyrus's rant. "Electra, I don't think anyone is as skilled with lightning as you are except for Volteer. And Gaia, you are the strongest dragon that I know, so why don't they let you fight?"

"Look, I'm not disagreeing with you Pyrus." Gaia turned around from where she had been watching the battle unfold. "But you've got to calm down. I'm sure they'll eventually let us fight and get all the glory. Or what ever it is that you want so badly."

"Also," Electra piped up. "Why are you so eager to fight? It's dangerous you know, you could easily get killed."

Pyrus sighed loudly and buried his face in his paws. Unlike the others, he was not watching the battle; no point if you couldn't be in it. "I know, it's just that I want to feel like I did something with my life. Not always hanging back and letting the others do all the work."

A depressed silence hung over the wall. A mole, one of the few left on this section, trundled by, carrying a plate of steaming food for his compatriots. Muffled shouts and screams also drifted through the air, remnants of the fierce battle taking place just north of them. Connan was the first to speak. "I spy, with my little eye, something...black."

Pyrus groaned. "Not this game again."

"Is it larger than a bread box?" Gaia asked, immediately jumping in.

"Yes." Connan stood on the top of one of the walls, his vision extending to encompass a wide area. There were a lot of things that he could have chosen from.

"Is it inside the city?" Pyrus reluctantly asked, knowing that he would inevitably be sucked in sooner or later.

"No."

"It better not be some boring old rock." Gaia waved a half threatening fist.

"No, but it used to be."

That stumped everybody for a moments. Getting up from where she was seated, Gaia stuck her head out of the battlements to view the battlefield. "Is it a weapon?"

"Of sorts." Connan was getting evasive now, trying to give more vague answers.

"Do dragons use it?" Pyrus asked, now genuinely curious as to what it was.

"No."

"Grublins?"

"Yep."

The dragons were silent for a moment before launching into a barrage of guesses.

"Is it a sword?"

"No."

"An axe?"

"Nope."

"A dagger?"

Gaia shook her head. "Can't be. It's bigger than a bread box, remember?"

"Right, sorry." Pyrus scratched his head, trying to come up with more suggestions.

Electra sighed softly and stood up. She made her way over to where Connan was perched, hoping to be able to see what ever it was that he saw. She scanned the terrain for a few seconds, fruitlessly searching for the object. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide and she shot back down under cover. "Is it a massive siege tower rolling directly towards us?"

"Yes!" Connan replied cheerfully. "How did you guess?"

"What!" Pyrus bolted upright, dashing to the wall. Sure enough, there it was, the black tower slowly rolling over the green fields. It must have hidden in the nearby forest for it to get this close without being detected. The sides of the tower were made out of a dense, rock-like material that was extremely dense and impervious to almost all attacks. Spikes jutted out along the sides, giving it a looming, evil presence. Four massive wooden wheels supported the monstrosity and carried it ever closer to the walls. Massive creature, hidden in the shadow of the tower, pushed it forward while more grublins armed with crude bows marched beside them. The top of the tower was shaped in the likeness of its former master, two blazing orbs of fire replacing the eyes. Even from this distance, Pyrus could see hordes of grublins just inside the mouth, each one ready to rip him limb from limb.

As they continued to watch, the alarm bells went off again, desperately trying to alert the city to the new threat. But the defenders, committed to stopping the assault at the East, didn't heed them. "It's a distraction." Pyrus realized with a sinking feeling in his stomach. "The real attack is here."

"What do we do?" Electra asked, staring fearfully at the slowly advancing tower.

"Something, come on!" Pyrus shouted. He turned and dashed further down the walls, the others hurrying to catch up. They soon came upon a wider section of the wall. Here, a large, gleaming gold cannon sat, staring blankly out at the surrounding fields. Moles dashed around, desperately trying to acquire weapons and armor while avoiding tripping over plates of half eaten food. Grabbing a mole as he hurried by, Pyrus pointed up to the cannon. "Why don't you get that cannon working and blast the tower to pieces?"

"I would if I could sir!" The mole wailed. "But it's still down for repairs! I reckon that it's the only cannon in the whole city that isn't working!"

"Then they certainly picked the right spot to attack." Gaia muttered as she eyed the advancing tower.

Letting the mole scramble off again, Pyrus looked around desperately for some way to prevent the tower from reaching them. "Gaia, can you form some sort of earth pillar and tip it over?"

Gaia looked back over the wall to analyze the base of the tower. She quickly retracted her head to avoid a flurry of arrows sent her way. The archers were in range of the wall. "I don't think so, it's just too big! Maybe if there were more earth dragons here, but I can't do it alone." She called back.

"If the tower reaches us, we'll be overwhelmed!" Electra whimpered from her cover position. Pyrus looked back over the wall. There had to be something that they could use, some weakness to exploit.

"What do we have here?"

Everyone started as a new voice issued from directly behind them. Electra gave a small yelp and backpedaled furiously, almost tripping and plummeting off the battlements. Connan caught her at the last second, steadying her before looking back to see the white dragon that had landed behind them silently.

"Who the hell are you?" Gaia exclaimed, studying the dragon with a mix of curiosity and wariness. He ignored her, instead striding over to the edge of the wall to observe the scene below.

Pyrus let loose a soft growl. "Zero. What are you doing here?"

Zero made no response, he only continued to watch the incoming siege tower. Gaia was beginning to get offended. "Hey, Zero or what ever your name is. We asked you a question." She prodded him, which provoked about the same response as a fly landing on a boulder did.

Finally, Zero took a few steps back, drawing away from the wall. An arrow buzzed through the air, sparking off the stone where his head had been moments before. Completely unfazed by the near miss, he turned to regale the dragons with the same disinterested stare.

"Destroying the central support column should result in the complete collapse of the tower." Zero said blandly, as if commenting on the day's weather.

Everyone blinked in surprise. "Wait, what?" Connan asked, a confused expression on his face.

Zero blinked slowly, a slight aura of irritation emanating off his body. "Destroying the central support column should..."

"We heard you the first time." Pyrus interrupted, waving an impatient paw. "And where is this column anyway? I don't see it."

Zero raised a single eyebrow, by his standards a vast display of emotion. "It will be the column in the center of the tower."

"How do you know it's there anyway?" Gaia asked skeptically. "To know that, someone would have had to have been inside at some point." Zero said nothing, merely stared at her with the same blank expression.

Meanwhile, Pyrus was thinking. He trusted the white dragon about as far as he could throw him, but they were running out of options. Still, it seemed suspicious that Zero only showed up when ever they needed help. It could easily be a trap. But one way or another, Zero might have a point...

"Alright then. Listen up." Pyrus stepped up, catching everyone's attention. "Here's the plan. I'll clear the grublins out from the top. Gaia and Connan we go in right after me. Electra, I need you to watch our backs and defect any arrows sent our way. Is everybody clear?"

Looks of disbelief met his eyes as he looked back around. "You can't seriously trust the word of a dragon who we barely know anything about and who won't even share how he got the information?" Gaia asked incredulously.

"Yeah dude, that doesn't seem to be the brightest idea you've ever had." Connan risked a brief glance to Zero. "We are talking about flying into the lion's den with only his word on what's in there. I don't trust him that much, do you?"

Pyrus faltered. "Well, no, not really. But either way," Pyrus raised his voice to drown out Gaia's and Connan's objections. "He has a point. It will be easier to defend a few ladders than a whole section of wall, am I right?" The others fell silent, contemplating his words. "So, do I have any takers?"

"Sounds stupid enough to work." Gaia nodded. "At least until reinforcements arrive."

Behind her, Pyrus saw Connan cast a brief worried look at her before stepping up himself. "And it would be my honor to escort thy fair lady in this endeavor."

Electra mutely stared at Zero, his presence robbing her of her voice. Looking back over to Pyrus, she gave a small nod.

"Alright." Pyrus turned towards the tower, unfurling his wings in the process. "Three, two, one!" And with that the four dragons catapulted into the air. The first few hundred feet were silent, almost blissful. Then Pyrus heard the distinctive twang of arrows being launched and spotted a small flight speeding towards them. Just before they impacted, a blinding light scotched his eyes, forcing him to look away. Once they adjusted to the sudden brightness, he looked back to behold an intricate grid of lightning bolts, knocking any incoming projectiles aside. Waving a paw in thanks behind him, Pyrus refocused and sped on towards his target, traveling as fast as he could without leaving the protective envelope.

They saw him coming. The grublins in the mouth of the behemoth readied their weapons, overjoyed at having their first victims delivered right to them. Excited breaths exited their maws, each anticipating the spilling of blood.

"Not today." Pyrus thought grimly as he neared the tower entrance. Just as he reached the lip, Pyrus opened his mouth, releasing a withering torrent of flame. The inferno engulfed the waiting grublins, burning them alive. Some, attempting to escape the flames, cast themselves over the edge, falling several stories before impacting the ground with a dull thud. Pyrus kept the stream up, incinerating all who approached him. He continued until he heard the ghastly yells stop, their owners having been reduced to smoldering ash.

Finally, he closed his mouth, looking around at his handy work. Blackened corpses covered the wooden floor, small fires still burning up from a few of them. A small pile lay at the rear end, clustered around a trap door that lead to the lower levels. Not a single one had escaped.

The others landed in behind him. Connan walked up an clapped him on the back. "Excellent show Pyrus. Good to see you're using that fire breath for more than just incinerating bushes. Although.." Connan took a big sniff, wrinkling his nose at the stench. "You couldn't do something about the smell, could you?"

"What did you expect, daisies?" Gaia asked as she pushed past them into the structure.

Pyrus ignored both of them, instead he glanced around the chamber they were in. Apart from the section leading out into the tower's "mouth", the floor was a large donut shape, with more black stone reaching down from the top to create a central obstacle. He scanned the room, looking around for anything resembling a column. "I don't see it, there's no central column." Pyrus eventually spoke out, exchanging glances with the others. "He lied to us."

Gaia shook her head. "Maybe not, look." She pointed to the bottom of the stalactite, where it began to thin out. "It looks smaller down here. Maybe if we go down a few levels, we can find a point to break the column."

Pyrus took a deep breath, trying to get control of his body. "Fine. I guess I'll clear the way. Electra, stay up here. We need to be ready for a quick getaway if it turns out Zero was right." Making his way over to the trap door, Pyrus nodded at Connan who pulled the door aside.

A new group of grublins charged him, ready to avenge their comrades. Once again, Pyrus opened his mouth to unleash a river of flame that consumed all. He was vaguely aware of Gaia and Connan behind him, lashing out every time one of them got under his defense. This system allowed them to systematically move forward, eliminating every target while sustaining minor injuries.

They cleared that level and then the next, soundly routing the grublins within their own siege tower. But after the third level, Pyrus all but collapsed against one of the walls, the toll of his exertions finally catching up to him. Sparks swam in front of his vision and a feeling of lightheartedness threatens to throw him into darkness.

Dimly, he heard Gaia shout at Connan about the door and saw the blue dragon dash forward to where the next wave of grublins were in the process of forcing their way up. Slamming the trapdoor shut, Connan breathed out an icy mist, freezing it in place much like he had done with Spyro's door that morning. Had it really been that long already?

Pyrus pushed himself off the wall, the darkness disappearing from the edges of his vision. "Guys, I don't think I can do another level."

"You don't need to, look!" Gaia motioned towards the center of the room. Pyrus looked and saw that the stalactite they had been following down had been seamlessly melded to a stout wooden beam. It appeared to be the only supporting feature.

"The column." He gasped out, surprised that it was actually there. "Can you break it?"

Gaia smirked. "I would like to see it survive this." Turning her back to the pole, she retracted her rear leg and shot it back out again in a solid kick. There was a small snap and a few splinters flew off the beam, but it was other wise unaffected. "Huh." Gaia said, slowly lowering her outstretched leg. "Guess it's stronger than it looks."

Connan grinned. "Allow me, if you would my fine lady." Stepping forward, Connan slowly breathed out his ice mist, even coating the column. After he was sure that it was completely covered, he moved back, gesturing for Gaia to try again.

She shot him a dubious look before repositioning for a second kick. This time, when her foot connected with the wooden column, it shattered into tiny, frozen pieces of wood. Gaia whistled appreciatively. "Good job Connan."

They were interrupted by a loud creaking followed by an even louder snap. With the column destroyed, the only thing holding up the roof was the two wood-plank floors they had passed through. And those were already weakened by Pyrus's firestorm to the point of failure.

Not wasting another second, the dragons tore off towards the top. They burst through each trapdoor, taking care not to trip over the burnt grublins. The flooring began to snap, having not been designed to take this much weight. Throwing open the last trapdoor, they barreled around to see Electra still waiting for them by the exit.

"Go, fly!" Pyrus called out horsely as Gaia and Connan dived out of the exit. Electra ran and together, they flew out of the tower.

As they fled, a loud crunching noise filled the air. Turning in mid-air, Pyrus watched what was happening to the tower. The top of the "head" sat askew, the two blazing eyes looking furious. Then, it slowly tipped back, and with a loud groan, fell.

The ceiling fell through the tower, smashing each floor as it did. Any grublin unlucky enough to be caught inside was immediately crushed by the massive weight as it plummeted to the earth. It slammed into the chassis, sending out a cloud of ash and dust and dislodging one of the wheels. The four walls stood still, gutted and empty. Then, one by one, they fell, toppling over like a house of cards.

Pyrus let out a breath of relief. They had done it. As he floated there, a low horn blast sounded out, echoing over the city. The surviving grublins around the destroyed tower turned and ran, quickly disappearing into the woods. In the distance, Pyrus could also see the grublins in the distraction force fleeing, hounded all the way by dragons.

As he hovered there, watching the retreat, Pyrus suddenly felt how exhausted he felt. He really should watch himself in future, if he expended to much energy he could risk collapsing again. Slowly, he glided back down to the walls, each of his limbs feeling like a lead weight.

Touching down next to the inoperable cannon, Pyrus was glad to see that someone had laid out some green gems for their use. Stumbling over to them, Pyrus laid a paw on them, letting the energy flow into his body. He was still exhausted, but not to the point of collapse.

"Well done young dragons, well done." Pyrus looked around to see the three guardians had arrived at the scene. They all looked unharmed except for Cyril, who had a bad gash across his right leg. Spyro and Cynder were there to, each looking just as tired as Pyrus felt. A wide grin stretched across Terrador's face as he surveyed the battlefield. "I had sought to keep all of you out of the combat because I thought you weren't ready. I see now that this was an incorrect assumption, but I fear for what might have transpired had I not made it."

"Yes." Volteer spoke next. "That was a splendid, magnificent, and extremely impressive display of battle-prowess and teamwork. But how did you know where to cause the catastrophic failure that destroyed the siege tower?"

"We didn't." Gaia said. "But he did." She jerked her head over to a section of wall. They all turned to see Zero calmly sitting there, apparently having not bothered to move from where he was previously.

"So you appear to assist us in out time of need yet again." Terrador strode over to the white dragon, gazing down at him. "And just how did you know about the weak point inside the siege tower?"

For a moment, Pyrus expected Zero to decline answer like he had when Gaia asked the same thing. Instead, Zero bowed his head respectfully towards the earth guardian. "It was simple deduction, Master Terrador. The roof had to be heavily armored to defend against an ariel attack and it didn't seem to be supported by any of the walls. Therefore, a centralized supporting column must be needed to prevent it from caving in on its self."

"You figured all that out just from looking at it?" Gaia exclaimed. Zero nodded once.

"Interesting." Terrador mused. "And what brings you to Warfang Zero? You appeared to be happy living up in your cave."

"He's looking for a new home." Cynder cut in. She glanced over at Zero, her expression unsure. "Right?"

Zero inclined his head again. "If the guardians see fit to appoint me lodgings in the city, then yes."

Terrador exchanged a brief look with the other guardians before nodding. "I think we can manage that. However, if you accept you will be obligated to join training with the other students."

"Thank you master Terrador. I would expect nothing less." Zero looked as impassive as always, making it impossible to gauge if he was truly happy about the decision or not.

"Great." Pyrus muttered to Connan, who was standing next to him. "Now he's going to be here 24/7."

"Captain!" Terrador's booming voice rang out. An armored mole came trotting up, snapping a quick salute. "Make sure this cannon is repaired and online as soon as possible." Terrador instructed. "I don't want another attack with our defenses down, is that clear?" The mole captain nodded and marched off, yelling at the rest of his team to get a move on.

"Well, now that that's settled, why don't we all adjourn up to the temple." Cyril said, still favoring his left leg. "We could have a good feast and toast all of those who fought so bravely today. Cheer up a little, we are all heroes of the hour."

/~\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Nighttime had fallen and the dinning hall was still occupied by the victorious dragons. They were all thoroughly exhausted, but elated at the fact that they had successfully repelled the attack. They feasted as promised, all the while talking and retelling of the days events. Everyone was happy to be safe in the company of friends. Almost everyone that is.

"So Zero," Gaia leaned over towards his side of the table, a grin on her face. "Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you come from?"

Zero didn't look up, he only continued to pick at the food on his plate.

"Look, it's easy." Gaia cleared her throat and began. "Hi. My name is Gaia. I'm an earth dragon and have lived in Warfang my whole life. I enjoy training and music. Now it's your turn."

This time, Zero did look up, but it was only to level a disapproving glare at the dragoness. She frowned, obviously unused to such treatment. "Oh come on, don't be such a bore. I'm sure someone who lived out in a cave for years is bound to have an interesting past."

Zero ripped off the last bit of meat from the drumstick he was eating. Carefully placing the bone on his plate, he stood up to leave. "There is nothing to tell."

Grabbing his plate, he walked briskly over to the dish receptacle in the wall before striding out of the room's double doors, never once looking back. The dragons watched him go, the jolly mood now quite dead.

"He's going to be the life of the party, I can tell." Connan said, returning to his plate of food.

"I'm not exactly thrilled with him living here either." Pyrus said.

Cynder frowned, staring at the two of them. "That's not fair, you're not giving him a chance."

Pyrus swallowed his mouthful of food motioning to the other side of the table. "Gaia gave him a chance and he threw it right back in her face. In short, he doesn't seem like the type of dragon I want to hang out with."

Gaia nodded in agreement and sipped her drink. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Electra was still staring at the door. When she spoke, it was barely above the whisper. "He can't be that bad, can he?" Interpreting that she was talking to herself, Gaia made no sighs that she had heard her friend.

One thing was for sure. When the training finally started up in proper, it would be interesting to see what wrench the white dragon would throw into the works.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - The First Day

Cynder's door slowly creaked open and she stepped outside into the quiet hallway. It was the morning after the attack and every muscle in her body was aching and sore. One would think that fighting would eventually get easier on her battered body, but it never did. Perhaps that was for the better.

Cynder stood in the hall for a few seconds, her mind still temporarily blank from just waking up. There was somewhere she had to go, if only she could remember it...

Training. That was it, she was suppose to start training today. However, the sun had just risen and it didn't look like anyone else was up yet, so she likely wasn't needed for a little while. So what was the harm in a little walk to try and learn her way around the temple a little bit more?

Shaking her head to expunge any remaining fog in her mind, Cynder set off into the temple. As she walked, her thoughts began to drift to Spyro, as they had so often recently. Reflecting on the battle yesterday, Cynder thought about how well they worked together. When in the middle of the confused skirmish, they had seamlessly cooperated with each other, perfectly complementing the other's style. It must have come from being chained together the past few days. Wouldn't someone who was so well matched in combat to her also be the perfect dragon to spend the rest of her life with?

Cynder immediately cut that thought train off. After all, making such an assumption could permanently destroy the friendship that they possessed. As much as she would like to believe otherwise, the only reason why they fit so well together was that both of them used such unusual elements.

But in her eyes, that would never be the reason. Spyro was everything she could have possibly hoped for. He was caring, gentle (unless he was fighting for his or someone else's life.), loyal, and not to mention he did look kind of cute. He was the single brightest light in her life, the first and at times, the only one she had.

Which was why she wasn't sure if he held any feelings for her. Everyone viewed Spyro the same way as her, more or less. He was the great savior, the purple dragon of legends! And Cynder? She was a murderer, a war criminal, a traitor. A monster. Who would ever even begin to look at her in a good light?

Overcome by self-loathing and other negative emotions, Cynder dejectedly walked out onto a deserted balcony somewhere on the second floor. Her emerald eyes stared out at the landscape below her, only seeing the ruin that had been wrought there. The walls around the city stood high and mighty, causing her to remember how carelessly she had sent her troops forth, not really caring if they lived to see the next morning. The sun peeking in from around the corner of some clouds did not bring beauty or enlightenment; it only served to remind her how many times she had watched the same sun gleam down at her through billowing clouds of smoke. She could remember every single time she ended an innocent life, their final screams echoing through the air only to be silenced. Who could ever love a monster like her?

"Cynder? Are you okay?"

She straightened at the unexpected voice from behind her, hurriedly drying the few tears that she didn't even realize she had shed. Noticing the red dragon joining her out on the balcony, she cleared her throat and plastered what she hoped was a happy expression on her face. "Yes Pyrus, I'm fine."

Pyrus sighed inwardly as he stood a respectful distance from the black dragoness. He knew what the phrase really meant. And he was absolutely abysmal at comforting others. It was really more of Gaia's domain, she was just more intuitive when it came to other's feelings. He was so far out of his element when it came to something like this, he might just breath icicles.

"Look," he began, glancing away and rubbing the back of his head with one paw. "I have something that I really should tell you. I tend to judge, well, everybody by what I hear about them beforehand. So I guess that meant that I thought Spyro was a coward and you were some sort of demonic monster."

Cynder stiffened suddenly, still staring out over the city. Pyrus winced. This was going badly. "But, um, I can see that I was wrong on both accounts. I've seen Spyro do so many things without a second thought for his own safety and you, uh, you I've seen...um." Pyrus stuttered, trying to find the right words. This was why he never asked out any girls. "You're just a good person. Ok, that sounded bad."

He looked around, praying that he would see something to help get the message across. Perhaps a bird would fly by with a little banner that would tell him exactly what to say. "I'll be blunt. I was completely wrong and my initial impression of you was miles from what you really are. I don't know if you were trapped in some corner of your mind or if you weren't under any control of your body. But either way, I can now see that it wasn't really you that I was hearing about in all those stories."

Cynder said nothing and Pyrus nervously tapped one claw on the stone floor. He should have just gone and gotten Gaia to deal with this. "So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry that I misjudged you and I was hoping that maybe we could be friends. If you want to, of course."

Silence stretched over the balcony as Cynder processed his words. Behind her, Pyrus debated between speaking up again and throwing himself over the edge before he made things any worse. Finally, she turned around, a genuine smile on her face. "Thank you Pyrus, I'd like that."

Pyrus blinked. "Really?" He had actually made things better, who'd of thought? She nodded and Pyrus grinned in relief. "Well then, consider the past shut away in the dusty old history tomes Volteer is always studying." They shook paws and stood in the resulting awkward silence for a few seconds.

Finally, Pyrus spoke up. "We should probably head down to the training hall. The guardians tend to like it if we're there early."

They set off together and soon arrived at the training room. It was easily the largest room in the building. The arched ceiling towered three stories high, allowing plenty of space for aerial combat. The room was circular and was centered around a simple arena that rose out of the center of the room. The rest of the room was bare except some wooden bleachers off to the side as well as a small fountain where students could refresh themselves.

They also saw that they were not the first ones there. Gaia stood up on the arena, delivering a series of blows to a few hapless wooden dummies. Connan was passed out on one of the bleachers, soft grunts escaping him as he attempted to regain some of his precious sleep. Zero was there as well, not looking the least bit tired and surveying the room with bored eyes as he sat off to the side. It didn't take long for the others to trickle in as well until all of the students were clustered inside of the room. Last to arrive were the guardians, who immediately called the room to order.

As everybody assembled in the middle of the room, Terrador began speaking. "Good morning everybody. Glad to see that everyone is awake bright and early to begin."

"Like I had a choice." Connan muttered under his breath. Pyrus snickered, but quickly refocused his attention as Terrador continued on.

"This program will be set up between two different types of training. Class work will involve all of you while individual work will be somewhat independent with one of us. Now," Terrador paused to look around at all of his students. "Here is how the individual work will be divided out. Gaia, Electra and Connan will be working with their respective guardians in regards to their element. Naturally, this poses a quandary for the remaining four of you."

"Pyrus, due to the untimely passing of Ignitus, we are deprived of a fire guardian. However, you already appear to be a competent fire user with complete mastery of the basics. You are at a level where experimentation and practice will be your best teachers. Never the less, Volteer has taken some time to read over some old books detailing some of the more advanced techniques. You will be practicing with him." Pyrus nodded and Terrador next shifted his attention to Spyro and Cynder.

"Spyro and Cynder. You are perhaps the two most renowned dragons of our age, both for your deeds and your abilities. But there is much room for improvement in both of your fighting styles. Since it would not seem proper to confine either of you to a single element group, you are both free to switch between any of the three groups when we do individual practice. I leave it up to you to decide how best to hone your abilities."

Terrador turned to look at the final student without a group. "Zero. The only reason that you are without a group is that we have not seen any elemental displays from you thus far. So tell me, what element can you use?"

Zero stared at the earth guardian for a few seconds before simply stating, "None."

Everyone in the room did a double take. "What do you mean none?" Pyrus exclaimed, craning his neck to cast a suspicious look at Zero.

Zero returned the look with his usual blank expression. "You are a red fire dragon. You can use the element of fire. Spyro is a purple dragon and can use all four traditional elements. I am a white dragon and can use none of the above."

"There's more than those four you know, they're just more rare." Cynder joined into the conversation. "I'm a black dragon and can use powers like wind, fear, poison, and shadow. Are you sure you can't use any of those?"

Zero nodded briefly. A storm of whispered conversations broke out over the assemble dragons. Electra turned her head a little, sheepishly watching Zero out of the corner of her eyes, a slightly surprised expression on her face. Pyrus still looked a little doubtful over Zero's explanation. "So you lived out in the wilds for years, by yourself, with no elemental powers what so ever? And you are still alive? Sounds like a tall tale to me."

"Maybe." Gaia nodded over to Zero. "But if he is telling the truth, then he must be one-hell-of-a fighter."

They were all silenced as Terrador held up a huge paw. Once the room fell quiet again, Terrador turned to Volteer. "Volteer, has there ever been something like this recorded?"

Volteer shook his head energetically, apparently excited over the new phenomenon. "No, never in all of dragon history. I mean, there have been plenty of white dragons but they all belonged to the ice element with a few exceptions being fire dragons. You're positive that you can't use fire or ice?"

"Yes." Zero said, his expression unwavering.

"Curious, very curious." Volteer regarded Zero like a new science experiment. "Skill levels vary, but all dragons possess some form of elemental ability. Perhaps if I could study it more, I could discover more about why you are unable to utilize what should be natural instinct."

Cyril spoke up next, addressing Terrador directly. "See here Terrador. I think that young Pyrus over there has a point. A dragon without any element living by himself for years on end? In the middle of a war no less. That just doesn't add up."

Everyone turned to look at Zero, the same question in all of their eyes. Zero shrugged. "The war left my valley alone. There was no need for any combat fighting."

Terrador and the other guardians remained silent, intently studying the white dragon for a few minutes. Expressions among the young dragons varied, from surprise to curiosity to outright disbelief. Finally, Terrador spoke. "Very well Zero, I believe you. And since you relay on physical strength alone, I feel that you should belong in my group when we practice individually." The other guardians nodded in agreement.

The rest of the dragons slowly turned back to face the guardians. All except Electra, who was still monitoring Zero out of the edge of her vision. How hard must it of been growing up without any elements been? Was he always ridiculed? Maybe this was the reason why he lived out in a cave away from everybody else.

"Right, now pay attention." Cyril's regal voice cut into the now silent chamber. "Today, we need a basic evaluation to gauge your current skill levels." He tapped a claw on the floor and a set of trapdoors on one end of the arena flew open. Out flew a set of brutish wooden dummies. The overall shape was reminiscent of an ape, with a thick barrel chest and arms. Straw covered the entire form in an effort to simulate softer flesh and two button eyes were hurriedly sewn onto each misshapen head. Each dummy had a blunt wooden weapon melded into one or both of their hands. Unlike the dummies that Gaia had been warming up on earlier, the wood apes began to hesitantly step around the arena.

Electra mentally cringed at her first memories of the lumbering automatons. Even after Volteer had taken her aside to explain and show her the dummies were nothing more than an ingenious network of gears and levers, she still didn't set foot in the training room down in the city for a month. The idea of something not alive moving of their own accord still scared her, but not to the point where she was unwilling to train with them.

Terrador continued from where Cyril had left off. "The objective of today's exercise is to destroy ten of these dummies by yourself. We would also like to encourage you to use a variety of moves as to better tell of your ability and potential. Do take care however. Even though they are nothing like the real thing, these dummies are capable of basic attacks."

"Yeah, they are also my Dad's favorite way to wake me up in the morning." Connan confessed, eliciting a laugh from the assembled dragons.

Terrador was not amused. "Very well Connan, care to go first?"

Connan shrugged. "Alright, I'll give it a go."

The rest of the dragons left the stage, retiring to the bleachers to watch the fight. As they sat down, Electra overheard Gaia ask Cynder a question. "So have you and Spyro ever fought against these dummies before?"

Cynder nodded. "Plenty. I might even go as far as to say that we've battled more of them than actual apes."

Gaia nodded knowingly. "I know what you mean. I also keep forgetting that you two have been training with the guardians for longer than anyone else. Must be because I'm not used to seeing you around here yet."

Electra shuddered. "I don't like those things, they creep me out." Upon realizing that she was actually speaking out loud, Electra immediately clammed up despite several attempts to continue the conversation by Gaia and Cynder.

Meanwhile, on the floor, Connan was preparing to face off against his set of ten dummies. They were lined up at the other end of the arena, watching him with their soulless black eyes. At a signal from Terrador, they ambled forward in a disorganized charge.

Connan let them approach, then sprang forward. He collided with one of the dummies, head butting it with a loud crack. Another wandered up, looking to strike him in a high overhead blow. Connan breathed out a large stream of icicles, quickly turning the dummy into a pincushion. Two more moved in as Connan breathed out again. As Electra watched, the two dummies skidded on the suddenly icy floor and collapsed in a heap.

Spreading his wings, Connan took off, searching for his next target. Carefully lining up his shot, he swooped down low over the practice dummies. Quickly forming a large ice block, Connan dropped it directly over his target. The block smashed into the straw head, knocking the dummy out of commission. He circled around for another pass, but as he lined up another dummy, one of the others raised its weapon high in the air. Connan's rear leg caught on the wooden axe blade as he sailed past, rudely yanking him out of the air.

Hitting the ground hard, Connan rolled several times before coming to a halt at the feet of one of the remaining dummies. The dummy bent over, sensing its target just in front of it. Connan bunched up his legs and lashed out in a four footed kick, sending the dummy flying through the air to land a good distance away. Connan quickly scrambled to his feet, swinging his tail out to trip up another dummy. Only three were left now.

The remaining dummies advanced on him, taking their usual slow steps. Connan just stood there, watching them approach him. As the dummies were about to strike, Connan grinned and released the energy reserves he had built up. The result was a massive shockwave that first froze, then blasted the dummies off to the far wall. As the remnants of the wave passed over the stands, Electra shivered and felt the temperature drop several degrees. It was an impressive show of power.

"Well done young dragon." Cyril called out. "Your father's training obviously helped you a lot."

But Connan resumed his seat next to Spyro and Pyrus, Electra noticed he lacked his usual happy-go-lucky grin. Nudging him, Pyrus asked in a hushed tone, "Hey man, why so glum? I thought that went well."

"Because I messed up and got hit." Connan muttered back. In the row in front of him, Electra frowned slightly. Since when did he care about getting a perfect score in training?

"Don't worry about it." Gaia said, turning around to face him. "We all make mistakes. And besides, I thought you did very well out there."

"You think so?" Connan asked, immediately brightening up. "Thanks a lot Gaia." He then laid back in his seat, humming contentedly.

Any musing Electra was having over the unusual behavior were interrupted as Terrador announced the next student to step up. "Gaia, please come forward to the floor."

"Alright." Gaia said, cracking her knuckles loudly. "As I was saying Connan, you did very well out there, but let me show you how it's done." She trotted down to the arena, taking her place as ten more dummies emerged from the floor. She then assumed a ready stance, staring straight ahead at her intended targets.

No sooner than Terrador had given the signal, she charged forward at the dummies. As she ran, two rock spires burst out of the ground at the dummies feet, impaling two of them on the rocky shafts. Reaching her target, Gaia pounced, tackling her intended target with enough force to send both of them sliding across the floor. Ripping at the dummy with tooth and claw, Gaia quickly reduced it to a pile of snapped twigs and loose straw.

From there, Gaia used a combination of large earth pillars, conclusive blasts from her mouth and powerful kicks to send all of her remaining opponents flying out of the ring. The fight barely lasted a full minute. Gaia looked around, ensuring that no targets were left to destroy. Allowing her self a small smile, she collapsed the rock formations she had created, returning the room to a level playing field.

Connan's mouth was still hanging open when Gaia rejoined them on the bleachers. "Wow! That was incredible Gaia!"

Spyro looked equally amazed. "I have never been able to take ten of those things out so quickly! Did you break a record for doing that so fast?"

Pyrus chuckled. "Not with that run, but the current fastest time is held by her."

"Thanks everybody." Gaia said modestly. "But Pyrus, if you really trained as often as I have, I'm sure you would have a shot a beating my time."

"Maybe." Pyrus replied as he stared off into the distance. "But I think I would much rather set a record for how many actual apes I could kill."

"Pyrus, front and center." Pyrus sighed as he got off of the stands to take his place in the arena.

The fight started off much like the last one, with Pyrus spewing a few fireballs before charging the enemy. Unlike Gaia, whose moves were methodical and practiced, Pyrus fought with a sheer, reckless fury. Despite being brutally effective to any dummies on the receiving end, this blunt style left Pyrus overexposed to the rest of the pack. Electra winced in sympathy as several blows landed on the fire dragon in quick succession. Those had to hurt. She knew from experience that the dummies attacks packed quite a punch if they connected with you.

Finally deciding that he had had enough, Pyrus turned and ran, opening his wings and taking to the air. Completing several laps of the arena, Pyrus watched as the four remaining dummies trundled about below, vainly trying to reach him with their short weapons. Tilting him self over, Pyrus swooped down just out of the reach of dummies. Opening his mouth, he unleashed a dancing torrent of flame. Pulling up into a tight loop just before he struck the opposite wall, Pyrus completed several more passes over the dummies, reducing them to a pile of smoking ash.

"Thank you Pyrus, you may take a seat." Terrador said dismissively. Pyrus returned to the stands, rubbing the spots where he had been hit tenderly.

"Spyro." Spyro got up as Pyrus sat back down, making his way down to the ring, now littered with dozens of broken dummies.

Electra sat up a little, realizing that she was about to get the rare privilege of watching a purple dragon fight. Spyro took after Connan, preferring to let the dummies slowly make their way over to him. Once they were on range, he lashed out quickly with a fireball towards one and a lightning bolt towards the other. Electra was surprised at how easily he switched between elements. It gave an unpredictability to the combat that made each move a surprise. Not that the target dummies had enough foresight to predict even the most obvious attacks.

Spyro soon finished off his last target, the smoldering dummy falling to the floor. There was a few seconds of silence before the applause started. The match had not been as quick as Gaia's, but Spyro had put up a marvelous performance. Electra hesitated, then began to softly join into the applause as well. After all, almost everyone else was doing it.

As Spyro sat back down, Pyrus, Connan and Gaia all began to express their amazement at his abilities. Although impressed and somewhat intimidated, Electra didn't join in. Spyro stammered and looked away, obviously not used to such praise. At least that was something he had in common with her then.

The students were interrupted as Terrador called out the next candidate. Given the last performance, it shouldn't have been a surprise who went next. "Cynder, your turn."

Cynder got up, receiving an encouraging pat on the back by Gaia as she went down. As she took her place, Electra noticed everyone else lean forward a little, eager to see what the black dragoness could do. Everyone except Zero. He merely sat in the rear row of the bleachers, not really seeming to care about the fights. As usual, he looked bored with the goings on.

Electra shifted her attention back to the floor as Terrador started the next match. Cynder darted forward as a large gust of wind suddenly swept through the chamber. A few of the apes toppled over, but most just stayed upright, having managed to brace themselves adequately. Cynder reached her targets and pounced on them, using her razor-sharp tail and claws to great effect. After felling two more, she spat a green glob that burned its way all the way through the dummy before splashing to the floor.

Appreciative oohs and awes came from the crowd, the dragons watching with rapt attention. After all, Cynder's abilities were completely unlike anything they had seen before. Electra flinched as the room suddenly became pitch black, depriving them of any light source. Muffled crashes could still be heard from the arena, signaling that several of the dummies had been eliminated.

The cloud cleared just as suddenly as it had appeared, reveling Cynder locked in close-quarter combat with the final dummy. Dodging a clumsy swing, Cynder slid her tail in below, cutting the dummies legs out from under him. Standing on the dummies chest, she raked her claws across the "throat" of the mannequin, ending the fight.

As Cynder returned to the stands, again with a light applause from the others, Spyro leaned forward to congratulate her. "That was great Cynder! You really did well out there."

Cynder smiled, the faintest of blushes coloring her cheeks. "Thanks Spyro, but I think you did a lot better than me out there. I must have taken twice as long."

Gaia's earlier question about the true nature of the two's relationship drifted back into Electra's mind, but she ignored it. There were only two dragons left to go, which meant that Terrador was either about to call on her or...

"Electra, please step forward." Electra gulped as she felt all eyes turn towards her. Shakily standing up, Electra carefully made her way down the stands, trying to block out all the eyes staring back at her. The urge to go curl up in a corner was almost overpowering, but she continued on.

The ten dummies popped up as she took her required place. Electra focused on them, determined not to let her nerves get to her. The whole key to her strategy was to make sure that none of them got too close. Thankfully, electricity was a good element to accomplish this feat.

Terrador waved the go ahead and the dummies began advancing on her. Electra closed her eyes, focusing her mind on the instinctual power within her. Opening her eyes, Electra released the energy into a lightning bolt that sped across the circle in a blinding flash. A single dummy fell, pierced clean through by the bolt. Electra opened her mouth twice more, sending two more bolts arcing toward her next two targets. Only seven more to go.

On her left, a mismatched squad of three dummies waddled toward her. Electra paused, taking a second to concentrate before firing again. The lightning flashed out again, except this time after it traveled through the first dummy, it split into two slightly smaller beams, cutting down the remaining targets as well. Chain lightning like that took a lot more energy and concentration and it had taken Electra a while to master. But one could not disagree with its usefulness.

The scrape of wooden boots against stone drew Electra's attention to the next group shambling toward her on the right. Although she could just as easily chain these targets, Electra decided to try something different. Taking a deep breath, she poured her power into creating a small, brightly glowing sphere. Once it was about six inches in diameter, she let it go, hurling it at the dummies.

It was a weak throw at best. The sphere fell to the ground about half way to the intended target and rolled a few feet further. The dummies marched on, oblivious to the failed attack. But as they passed the inert sphere, it suddenly exploded, sending lightning out in all directions. The dummies were knocked off their feet, landing on the floor with loud cracks of splintering wood and sizzling electricity. Electra sighed with relief. It was a good thing that attack had a large blast radius.

A soft creak and light whoosh were all the warning she had. With a quiet yelp, she ducked, barely missing the wooden sword that swung by her head. The last dummy had been slowly moving around the edge of the arena, managing to avoid her peripheral vision. Now it was in range, and taking full advantage of it.

Electra crawled along the floor, attempting to get enough distance to take the dummy out at a distance like the others. But the dummy kept pace with her, raising it's sword for another strike. Knowing that she would not be able to dodge the next blow, Electra desperately called upon the remainder of her power. Somehow, she managed to concentrate enough to weave an array of lightning bolts into a protective shield, much like what she had done yesterday. The dummy's sword sped towards her, connecting with the energy shield. There was a bright flash at contact and Electra smelled burning wood. The blade of the sword clattered to the floor next to her, completely severed from the hilt. The dummy prepared to strike again, oblivious to the fact that it's weapon was now just a smoking stump. Giving one last push, Electra propelled the shield into the dummy. The dummy flew up into the air, landing a good twenty feet away. Flames spread across it's chest, created by the high energy attack.

"Excellent! Incomparable! An exemplary performance!" Volteer shouted out. "However your electric grenade attack lacks power when it comes to throwing. I would suggest..."

"Volteer." Terrador said sharply. "You will have plenty of time for tips later. Zero. Last one, come on down."

Electra passed Zero as he made his way down the bleachers. He didn't offer any complements, congratulations, or any other recognition. She wanted to say good luck, but found that she couldn't. Instead, she quietly resumed her seat next to Gaia, eyes down cast to avoid making any contact with the dragons complementing her performance. When she did finally look up, she saw Terrador give the signal to start the final match.

The dummies began picking their way across their fallen comrades to reach the white dragon. Zero made no effort to attack or flee, he simply stood there, watching them draw nearer. The first dummy reached him, drawing back it's arm to attack. Zero nimbly jumped back, barely avoiding the blow. The next dummy walked up, attempting to swing at him. Zero evaded this blow as well, backing up a few steps to avoid. The rest of the group watched in mild shook as Zero began to ponderously lead the dummies around the arena, not striking back and only moving enough to avoid the next blow.

"What is he doing?" Gaia asked, staring at him with an expression of complete bewilderment.

"I don't know, maybe he's running away?" Pyrus asked with a look of disgust. "Coward." He muttered under his breath.

Spyro frowned, also looking at Zero with a questioning face. "I don't think so, he attacked the apes out in the Badlands without any hesitation. I don't know why he would run away now against these things."

Electra listened to this exchange, but kept most of her attention on the arena. She found herself mental shouting at him to do something, to act. But she could only watch as he prepared to dodge the next blow, an overhead two-handed swing by the leading dummy.

It happened so quickly that had Electra not been watching Zero, she would have missed it. As the dummy raised it's wooden arms above it's head, Zero's legs coiled beneath him. But this time, instead of moving back, Zero sprang forward at the dummy. His two front paws struck the exposed side of the dummy with tremendous force. There was a loud snap followed by some rattling from inside of the hollow chest. The dummy froze in place before tipping over, the interior mechanisms inside of it destroyed.

"Wait, what happened?" Pyrus was looking around the room, trying to figure out what had occurred while he was not paying attention. As they watched, the next dummy moved forward. Zero retreated from several blows until the dummy raised it's hands into the overhead blow. Zero pounced again, impacting at the same spot and disabling his target. As everyone else watched, Zero repeated his tactic against each of the remaining eight dummies, producing the same result each time. The dummies soon lay in a small pile before of him.

"Thank you Zero, that was a very unique strategy." Terrador said, exchanging glances with the other guardians.

As Zero made his way back to the stands, Pyrus spoke out loudly, "What happened to using a variety of moves?"

Zero raised an eyebrow. "I found the most efficient way to accomplish the objective. It is unwise to unnecessarily waste energy."

Pyrus opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off as Terrador stood up. "The rest of the day shall be spent working individually. Please report to your designated guardian and we will start you on some exercises."

The students got up with a mix of groans and joined the guardians in the arena. Electra made her way over to Volteer, who was finishing giving some suggestions to Pyrus. He spotted her and motioned her over. "Electra, good. As I mentioned before, you are already more than proficient with electricity. But your grenade attack was certainly one of your weak spots. Would you like to work on that first?"

Electra nodded and Volteer continued on. "Wise choice. Now, to begin simply form a sphere in front of you and hold it as long as you can. I have green gems here if you run out of energy."

Electra nodded again and began creating the same sphere in front of herself. Opening one eye, she stared across the training room to watch Zero demonstrate his abilities on a stationary dummy to a watchful Terrador.

A few stray lightning bolts crackled across the surface of the sphere and Electra quickly returned her attention to her own task. Mentally, she made a promise that one day, she would build up enough courage and speak to Zero.

/~\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Blood Claw barged through the doors of his command tent, sending several of the apes scattering. He stalked across the floor, paying no attention to the servants humbly bowing to him. Settling into the makeshift throne of rock, he reached out and grasped a wooden cup full to the brim with some sort of wine. He took a large swig, savoring the tangy taste of the beverage. Setting out a contented sigh, he set the cup back down on one of the arm rests, his long, blackened nails scraping against the stone. Life was good.

The tent flap was roughly shoved aside as another figure stepped into the tent. Blood Claw belched loudly. "This had better be worth disturbing the leader of the clan, whelp."

"Believe me, it is." Blood Claw and the servants gasped as the one-horned figure strode into the tent.

The cup of wine fell to the ground as Blood Claw dived out of the throne and onto his knees. "Lord Drakken! It's...it's incredible to see you alive again sir!"

Drakken calmly walked across the tent to where Blood Claw was cowering behind the throne. Extending a hand, he seized Blood Claw by the neck and threw him against the stone throne. The smaller ape hit with an unpleasant thunk and slid back to the ground.

Drakken ripped his black sword from his belt, pointing it directly at Blood Claw's remaining eye. "So this is how loyal my second in command is. The second that I am thought dead, you claim the clan for yourself! You left me to die in those forsaken tunnels and seized my place!" Drakken's voice had slowly built up from a calm, almost soothing tone to an outraged scream, causing much of the servants to back away as much as they dared.

Blood Claw's one eye darted around inside of it's socket and sweat stood out on the ape's face. "No! Please! I didn't mean you any ill will! Please!"

Drakken stared at the cowering ape, hatred and anger still on his face. Finally, he lowered the malatrite sword. "You are lucky that you are still useful to me Blood Claw, or else I would take that last eye of yours out before having your head."

"Th-thank you, master." Blood Claw sobbed, slowly getting to his feet.

"I didn't say you were forgiven!" Drakken snapped. Blood Claw instantly fell back to a begging position, pleading Drakken to give him a second chance.

Drakken ignored the grove long ape, instead walking over to the tent flap again. Lifting it with one hand, Drakken gazed out at the assembled horde. "You know Blood Claw, I have to say I'm impressed. You kept the clan together, provided them with ample food and water, and even devised a scheme to destroy those pesky dragons. I would have done something similar had I not been trapped beneath rubble for the past few days."

"Really?" Blood Claw asked, looking up hopefully.

"Yes. I can see now that I choose the correct ape to succeed me, even if his loyalty is in question." Blood Claw winced and dropped back down into a begging stance.

Drakken let the tent flap fall closed, turning back to watch his lieutenant. "So here is what I am going to do. I am going to give you a mission, Blood Claw. Complete it, and you will have your full position restored. Fail..." Drakken left the threat hanging in the air.

Blood Claw stared down at the ground for a few seconds before rising and bowing to the clan leader. "Your wish is my command, Lord Drakken."

Drakken stalked over, settling down onto the surprisingly comfortable throne. "If what you are proposing is to succeed, we will have to nullify the dragon's air superiority." Drakken snapped his fingers and a servant scurried over, bearing another cup of wine. Taking a small sip, Drakken stared down at Blood Claw. "Go to the Tall Plains and see if there are any Dreadwing nests left."

Blood Claw started. "But My Lord, that's over two weeks away from here."

Drakken snarled at him. "And if you are successful, you will only be gone two and a half weeks! Of course, if you choose not to accept, I have two additional candidates just dying to have your position."

Blood Claw bowed low and hurried out of the tent. Drakken snapped his fingers impatiently and the attentive servants immediately set about preparing him a dinner and catering to his every whim. Drakken sighed, leaning back into his throne. Soon, he would have his revenge on those pesky dragons. Drakken threw back his head and laughed. Life was good.

**A/N - Hello everybody! Hope you are enjoying the story as always. I would like to take a moment to thank everybody that has favorited/followed/reviewed. In particular I'd like to thank htffan951, MurasakiKuroAkai, and Zilla0128. It means a lot to me and makes this all worth while.**

**And now for the bad news. August is the time when students have to leave the laziness and carefree days of summer to return to the drudgery of school. I am no exception. As a result, I'll have less time to devote to updating the story. Never fear though, I will not abandon it! I'll probably try to update it every ten days or when ever I can catch a break. Anyways, stay tuned and I will see you back here soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 - Herbs and Headaches

Pyrus let out a soft groan as his head hit the edge of the table in front of him. If something interesting didn't happen soon, he was going to fall asleep.

They were in one of the many unused rooms of the temple, faithfully attending lessons. One of the features Terrador had failed to mention the first day was that they wouldn't always be doing physical exercise. In addition to mastering the different elements and combat styles, the young dragons also had to sit through lectures on various subjects. The lecture was usually conducted by just one guardian, who often took them into different sections of the temple. Terrador, occasionally joined by Connan's father, Brigan, put the dragons through work-out routines, designed to strengthen their muscles. Cyril took over history, telling them of famous battles and events, often going off on tangents about one of his many prominent ancestors. And Volteer basically rambled about everything else.

They were in one of Volteer's sessions today, learning about the many different herbs that were edible or had medicinal uses. Laid out in front of them were examples of every single one of the plants, from leafy branches, to prickly cacti, to colorful flowers. A tome sat propped open at one end of the table, displaying a catalog of the plants again for a second reference point.

Pyrus blinked sleepily as Volteer talked about the many uses of Fireweed, which could be chewed to cure indigestion. Although the information was marginally interesting, the constant, non-stop speech from the electric guardian left Pyrus bored and easily distracted. He had thought they would be doing stuff like sparing and war games, but the past few days had been spent either exercising or falling asleep to classroom lessons, much like he was now.

"Bored?" Connan asked beside him, speaking just above a whisper. Once Volteer got going on a subject, he paid little attention to his students, allowing them to carry out conversations almost normally.

"Yes." Pyrus mumbled, barely suppressing a yawn. "Do you remember which one of these act as a stimulant? Terrador will make me run so many laps if I fall asleep again."

"Not a clue." Connan replied cheerfully. "Hey, how about you play this new game I came up with?"

Pyrus yawned, this time not able to cover it up in time. "Sure, why not? What do you do?"

"It's really simple." Connan explained. "All you have to do is guess what Zero is thinking."

Pyrus looked down the table to get a good look at the white dragon. Zero sat perfectly still, feet together and tail casually wrapped around his body. He watched the table in front of him with the same expression he always wore, his eyes half lidded.

Before Pyrus could formulate a response, Connan gave his own answer. "I think he looks bored right now, don't you agree?"

Pyrus sighed in exasperation. "Connan, he looks like that every single waking moment. Can't we pick someone else?"

Pyrus scanned the rest of the table, taking in the other dragons. On the other side of Connan, Gaia sat, impatiently tapping a foot and staring out a window. She wasn't one for these lectures either. Spyro and Cynder were next to him, both of them intently studying the table. As he watched, Spyro's eyes slowly slid from the table up to the side of Cynder's head. They remained there for a second before quickly darting back to the plants. Pyrus grinned as Spyro shifted his weight uncomfortably. Even with his horrible track record on the subject, there was no mistaking what Spyro had just been thinking. Finally, there was Electra, who was sitting next to Volteer, hanging on every word he spoke.

"But they're too easy." Connan complained. "I like a challenge."

A few words from Volteer's speech caught Pyrus's attention and he focused back in on what was being said. "And lastly we have the whisper stalks. These tall grasses tend to grow in the the foothills of mountain ranges and are named after the sounds they make when a breeze passes through. They are edible when properly stewed in a large pot of boiling water but leave a horrible taste I'm told. Failure to boil them before ingestion can lead to stomach cramps and vomiting. Medically, this grass posses agents that can rapidly congeal blood, making them ideal bandages when the need arises. That concludes today's lecture, any questions?"

The dragons shook their heads, many surprised by the sudden conclusion. Pyrus glanced back down to Zero, who made no move to get up or ask questions. Maybe Connan was right, Zero might actually be genuinely bored for once. After all, Pyrus had seen him make a bandage out of whispering stalks after the fight in the Badlands. It seemed likely that Zero was already well versed in the uses of medicinal plants.

"What about those?" Pyrus, Connan and Gaia all groaned out loud as Cynder pointed to a column of plants in the tome that Volteer did not have laying out on the table.

Volteer seemed to be at a temporary loss for words. "Oh, yes. Those. Well, all of those plants are either extinct or so exceedingly rare that each specimen found is a small miracle. Still, I suppose that there is no harm in informing you of their uses."

Volteer pointed to the first picture, a bright blue moss. "This is Nocte Intuor, also known as moon moss. It absorbs light during the day and glows brightly at night. While not edible, it is famous for its painkilling effects when chewed. Before it went extinct, they were commonly found on rocky summits. Next, the Dragon's Tear..."

Volteer was interrupted as a loud clanging filled the air. Pyrus and Connan practically trampled over each other in their eagerness to get out the door. The rest of the dragons got up at a more leisurely pace, gradually making their way towards the door. "Please report back to the training room after lunch." Volteer called after the departing dragons before setting about packing up his specimens.

Pyrus grinned as he trotted down the corridor. "Finally, I thought those bells would never ring."

"The lecture wasn't that bad." Pyrus looked back to see the rest of the dragons catching up to him and Connan. The two exceptions were Electra, who hung back a few paces, and Zero, who plowed ahead with his usual long gait. "I mean, a lot of that stuff can be very useful." Cynder continued. "They might save your life one day."

Pyrus rolled his eyes. "Oh please. Gems can do everything those plants can do in just a few seconds. Why should I bother?"

No one could come up with a good answer as they entered the dining hall. Obediently forming a line, they waited to get a chance at the food. Pyrus tapped his foot impatiently as Zero took his sweet time choosing from the mouth-watering selection. He was slightly surprised then, when Zero addressed him. "That information is important because gems are not too common out in the wild."

Pyrus stared hard at the white dragon. "Who asked you?"

Zero didn't reply, instead snagging one last apple before stalking off to his usual dark corner. Pyrus shook his head. If you were careful enough or just skilled enough to avoid getting hit, then there was no need to have to exhaust what ever gems you brought out with you. Combat knowledge was all that he would need to survive.

Grabbing his own food, he hurried over to claim their table before anyone else, not that there were enough occupants in the temple to even fill half the tables. He was soon joined by the others as they filled their plates before joining him. After a few minutes of silent eating, Spyro broke the silence. "So what do you guys expect us to be doing for the rest of the day?"

"I don't know." Gaia shrugged. "But I have seen plenty of moles going in and out of the training room though. Maybe they're setting something up."

Connan, his cheeks stuffed with several mouthfuls of food, attempted to speak but only managed to produce a garbled mumbling. Gaia laughed. "Connan, would it really kill you to swallow once in a while? You look like a chipmunk."

Taking a moment to swallow, Connan repeated himself, legibly this time. "As I was saying, I saw them moving a lot of stuff up the lifts yesterday. That could have something to do with it."

The lifts were located outside of the main gate to the courtyard. They were several towering sets of rope lines that relied on a set of pulleys and machinery to lift large platforms up to the temple's level from the city. They hauled up all the supplies the temple needed, as well as providing transport to all of the dragon's non-flying allies. It also went without saying that the elevator terminals were the first structures on the floating island.

"Really? What did the cargo look like?" Pyrus asked, curiosity aroused.

Connan shook his head. "I couldn't really tell. It just looked like a bunch of logs and boards."

They lapsed back into silence. Eventually, a single ring reverberated through the temple, signaling the end of lunch. Benches scraped as the dragons stood up, returning their plates to the kitchen. Spyro and Pyrus were the last to leave, the others having already gone on ahead to the training room. Pyrus walked up next to Spyro, a sly grin on his face. "So! Spyro my friend, when are you going to tell her?"

Spyro visibly jumped, eyes wildly darting around the room to ensure that they were alone. "I... I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh come on." Pyrus said, rolling his eyes. "I saw the way you were looking at Cynder throughout that last lesson. Don't play dumb with me."

Spyro sighed and began walking towards the door, Pyrus falling into step next to him. "I don't know. We've both been through a lot and I really just want for both of us to be adjusted to living a calmer life before I say anything."

"Alright, that excuse will only work for a few days, tops. What else you got?" Pyrus said as they turned down another corridor.

"Ummm." Spyro ran through the mental list of reasons he had thought for himself. They all seemed suddenly flimsy and cowardly. "I don't know. I'm just scared whenever I seriously consider going through with it."

"Scared?" Pyrus looked at him incredulously. "You faced down the dark master and you're scared of this?"

"Oh? And you have mountains of experience on the subject?" Spyro retorted, turning the tables on the red dragon. "You ever done something like this?"

Pyrus looked away. "Yeah. A few times. But it didn't turn out too well."

"Why?" Spyro asked, his tone now fraught with concern.

Pyrus just shook his head. "It's nothing you need to worry about. It's just that I seem to only be attracted to dragonesses that hate my guts. You and Cynder look fine though."

Spyro nodded, a slightly worried look still on his face. Pyrus mentally kicked himself. Just because he had gotten lucky and comforted Cynder didn't mean that he was some sort of emotional guru. He had probably just caused a lot of inadvertent damage.

They reached the training room and pushed their way inside. They both gaped at what had happened to the room. The cargo that Connan had spotted being transported up was indeed just a lot of logs and boards. However, they were assembled into a long and winding obstacle course that circled the whole room. Judging from what Pyrus guessed was the start, the course gradually got harder as it went. The beginning consisted mostly of just a few tree trunks, supported vertically, horizontally and diagonally across the plainly marked corridor. It would be a relatively simple matter to dodge them. Then the course ramped up, moving to a set of hoops suspended between support columns. Next came a small tunnel that Pyrus noted was too small for him to stand or even crouch in. But what type of obstacle course would it be without a belly crawl?

After the tunnel is when things got complicated. Next up was a group of logs much like the beginning, except now the trunks moved back and forth via a complex system of mechanics. The next area was marked with brightly colored red flags, obviously to signal something. Raised several feet off the floor, the obstacles ranged from precarious platforms to a challenging balance beam. Curiously, the final dash to the finish seemed to be completely devoid of any obstruction. It seemed odd after the difficulty of the rest of the course.

Spyro and Pyrus hurried to join the others, who were being watched over by Terrador while final preparations were being made for the course. Seeing that everyone had arrived, Terrador motioned to the course. "Good afternoon everyone. Some of you have expressed distaste with the pace of the training so far." Pyrus could have sworn that Terrador was looking right at him and quickly lowered his head in submission. "So we have decided to do something different today. The course you see behind me was designed to test your reflexes and dexterity. The rules are quite simple."

"You will start over here at this end. Make your way through each obstacle without leaving the bounds of the course. We will be timing you and you will be penalized for each time you leave the course or skip an obstacle. In the red flag section over there..." Terrador pointed to the area just past the moving columns. "It is expressly forbidden to use your wings for flight. It will have to be completed on foot. There will be a severe penalty for flying through that section, as there will be for any deliberate sabotage to any of the moving parts." There was no mistaking the glare expressly directed at Zero with the last statement.

"We are all ready." Cyril called across the room. Next to him, Volteer intently studied a timepiece, ready to record the times.

Terrador nodded. "Very well. I will allow you to decide the order. When ever you are ready, step up to the line."

Gaia grinned and cracked her knuckles loudly. "This ought to be a piece of cake."

"Oh really? Care to take a bet then?" The slow pace of the day's earlier lesson had left Pyrus with a competitive mood and need to exert himself.

Gaia sidled up to him, analyzing him intently. "Alright. Do you really think you can beat me?"

Pyrus stretched his wings, letting the gold membrane spread out. He may not be as strong as Gaia, but flying was one of his favorite pastimes and he felt reasonably confidant on his abilities. As long as a flock of birds didn't suddenly fly in front of him. "Yeah, I think I can. You need to be taken down a notch."

Gaia smirked. "We'll see about that. What are we playing for?"

Pyrus thought about it for a moment before responding. "I know! Winner gets the loser's share of dessert for tonight. I heard they were serving cherry pie."

Pyrus could see Gaia thinking about it, cherry pie was one of her favorites after all. Finally, she nodded. "Deal." They shook on it, knowing that there was no backing out. Gaia looked around. "Anyone else want in?"

Connan shook his head negative. "I love my cherry pie to much to give it up to either of you two." Spyro and Cynder politely declined, Electra couldn't speak and Zero couldn't care less. It was down to Gaia and Pyrus.

"Well, I'll go show everyone the fastest time through the course. That pie is as good as mine." Gaia jogged over to the staring line, readying herself.

"On your mark...Get set...GO!" As Volteer shouted out the last phrase, Gaia took off. Not bothering to open her wings, she covered ground quickly, using the pillars as spring boards. Reaching the hoops, she at last spread her wings and rocketed into the air. She soared and dived through each hoop, never missing a beat. Pyrus fidgeted nervously on the sidelines. He may have been a little rash with this bet.

Gaia kept going, clearing the tunnel and the moving obstacles with ease. Landing on the no fly platform, Gaia dashed forward again, this time a little more cautiously. She crossed the balance beam with all do haste and moved on to the precarious platform jumps. She nimbly leaped from one to the next, her claws scraping the wood as she landed. Pyrus hung his head. His goose was as good as cooked.

But as he watched, Gaia misjudged one of her jumps. Landing further back on the platform that she anticipated, she slid forward until her front legs were dangling off the edge. Bracing, she pulled back, careful not to accidentally slip off the other end. Shaking herself briefly, Gaia locked on to her next target and jumped. Pyrus felt a glimmer of hope. It was a minor mistake, but it was a mistake none the less.

Gaia hopped down from the platforms, landing on the final stretch. It was a clear shot home now. But as she dashed forward, Pyrus felt a tremor in the ground. Gaia felt it too and dived aside at the last moment. A large tower of earth burst up in front of her, blocking her path. Pyrus looked around to see Terrador grinning slightly, tapping a foot against the ground. So that was why the last section appeared so desolate.

Gaia quickly regained her balance and dashed forward again. More earth pillars and walls rose in front of her, making the seemingly clear section a complex maze of shifting rock. With one last leap, Gaia sailed across the finish line, skidding to a halt on the other side.

"Time!" Volteer studied his timepiece for a second before making a note on a piece of parchment. "One minute and twenty-point-three seconds. Excellent! You have already exceeded my expectations for the fastest time around the course."

The dragons clapped and Pyrus sighed loudly. "I guess I might as well go next." He resignedly made his way to the start, trying to ignore the smug grin on Gaia's face.

"Go!" Pyrus only caught the last part of the phrase, but at least it was the one the mattered the most. He sprung ahead, matching Gaia's route through the columns. This stuff was easy, it was the later events that had him worried.

Predictably, he cleared the hoops and the tunnel without any difficulty. But on the moving columns, he made his first mistake. He was flying past one of the side-scrolling pillars when it suddenly reversed, gliding back into his flight path. He banked right to avoid it, his legs bouncing off painfully. Trying to salvage what he could from the situation, he pushed off from the pillar, regaining some air speed in the process. He had no idea how well he was doing and could only hope that the incident didn't cost him too badly.

Next he got onto the balance beam. Placing one foot in front of the other, he rapidly made his way across. Until he slipped that is. His left fore-paw scratched the log surface as it slipped past into empty space. Tipping forward, Pyrus instinctively flared his wings, remembering at the last second not to flap. The wings proved to be a boon though; with them he was able to quickly regain his balance and move forward. That had been a close one.

The platforms proved to be easier than he had expected. He nailed each jump, only taking long enough to get his bearings before starting the next one. He nearly repeated the same mistake Gaia had, but learning from her mistake, he planned his jump to land earlier and avoided falling off.

This was it. The final stretch. As he set down on the floor, Pyrus could already feel the ground trembling beneath him. Not wasting another second, Pyrus ran ahead, eyes scanning for any sign of disturbance. As with Gaia, the first barrier appeared directly in front of him. Pyrus scurried around it, cutting the corner as close as possible. He didn't know the time, but it would be close.

He twisted his way through the walls, barely dodging each one. He had to keep going, there was still a chance to win this!

Then the final wall dragged itself up in front of him. It stretched cleanly down the center of the area, forcing him to go to either side to avoid it. But doing that would cost him valuable seconds. So he brashly decided to take a third option.

Lowering his head and putting on an extra burst of speed, Pyrus charged at the wall. He collided with a loud crash and for a second he worried that he would bounce off. Then the wall gave way and he sailed on through, skidding across the finish line in an undignified heap.

"Time!" Pyrus sat up, gingerly rubbing his head. Certainly not the best idea he had ever had. He looked up at Volteer, who was recording his time on the parchment. When he too looked up, his expression was ecstatic. "Incredible! You finished with a time of one minute and eighteen-point-seven seconds!"

Pyrus blinking in surprise. He had actually beat Gaia. Not only that, but he had beaten her by two seconds! Grinning broadly, he got up only to notice for the first time that the other dragons were cheering for him. Amid the applause, he could clearly hear Connan call out, "Nice use of your thick skull!" Shaking his head, Pyrus took a seat next to the guardians, wincing as the headache returned. That was going to hurt for a while.

Spyro and Connan were the next two to finish the course. Spyro did reasonably well, managing to make it through all the obstacles with a time of one minute and twenty-seven seconds. Connan missed one of the hoops and racked up the first penalty of the day, leaving him with a time of one minute and thirty-one seconds.

As Zero prepared for his run, Pyrus sat down next to Spyro. Keeping his voice low so that they weren't overheard, Pyrus whispered, "Hey Spyro, listen. When we were talking earlier I didn't mean to discourage you from going after Cynder."

Spyro watched Zero expertly weave his way through the hoops for a few seconds before responding. "I know. It's just so... daunting."

Pyrus gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "Hey, you'll never know unless you try, right? Besides, I think she might even like you back."

"Really?" Spyro asked hopefully. Pyrus nodded and Spyro went back to watching the course and every once in a while, Cynder.

Pyrus allowed himself a small grin. At least he hadn't done anything too bad then. He returned his attention to the course, just as Zero popped out the other side of the tunnel. The white dragon opened his wings, took off...and smashed headlong into one of the columns.

Everyone let out a startled gasp. Zero dropped like a stone, falling down to the floor below. Pyrus stood up, trying to get a better view. For a split-second, Pyrus saw an expression of pain and surprise flicker across Zero's face before it was wiped clean.

The guardians were already on their way over. "That was a nasty fall you took lad." Cyril stated, offering a paw to help Zero up. Zero waved it away, refusing any assistance.

"Perhaps you should take a small break. You can retry later." Terrador motioned back towards the starting line. Zero stood and slowly walked back to where Electra and Cynder were still awaiting their turn.

Pyrus had been just as surprised as anyone else that Zero had crashed. It wasn't so much that he radiated confidence like Gaia, it was more that he never expressed any doubts. It was a sort of quiet reassurance that he could, and would, succeed.

Zero finally reached the start line again and Pyrus expected him to keep going. But Zero surprised him again by turning around and planting his feet in a ready stance on the line. Terrador frowned. "Zero, you need to rest and take a break to recover. You can run it again later."

Zero shook his head. "No. Again."

"Very well, proceed at your own risk." Terrador nodded at Volteer, who started the count down again.

"On your mark...Get set...GO!"

Zero moved easily through the first part, clearing it at the same pace as the first time. But after he reemerged from the tunnel, he practically slowed to a crawl. He took his time, slowly working his way through the rest of the course. He didn't run into any more walls or second guess any of the jumps. He stayed at the same slow pace, carefully finishing the course. The exception was the final stretch, in which he broke into a full sprint to avoid the rock pillars. Zero finished in dead last, with a time of one minute and forty-six seconds.

As he strode past the other finishers, Gaia tentatively spoke up. "Hey, are you..."

"I'm fine." His icy tone cutting her off. Not saying another word to anyone, he sat as far away as possible from the other dragons. If his head injury was bothering him, he gave no indication of it.

The tension in the room eased somewhat as Electra took her turn. A slip-up on the balance beam cost her and her finishing time was a disappointing one minute and thirty-seven seconds. Only Cynder remained.

When Cynder started, it was with the same intensity that Gaia and Pyrus had displayed earlier. The major difference was that Cynder had had time to study and learn from all of her predecessor's mistakes. She paused at the moving columns, taking a second to plan her path. She kept her wings open on the beam, giving her superior steadiness and balance. Lastly, in the final stretch, she feinted and backtracked, assuring a relatively clear path to the finish. It was an unprecedented performance.

Pyrus held his breath as Volteer recorded the time. That had been a very, very fast run and it might just be enough to knock him out of the lead. Finally, Volteer looked up. "One minute and nineteen-point-five seconds! Brilliant work Cynder, I didn't plan for anyone to complete the course this fast when I designed it."

Pyrus breathed a sigh of relief. He had hung onto the top, but just barely. Gaia looked shocked that not one, but two dragons had beaten her. Grudgingly, she walked forward, shaking paws with Pyrus and Cynder. "Well, it was a good race. I guess you were right Pyrus, maybe I was getting a little full of myself."

Pyrus gave a wry grin. "Thanks Gaia, but that still won't get your pie back."

She snapped her fingers. "Darn. How about double or nothing?" Gaia asked as she looked back at the course.

Pyrus shook his head. "Sorry, but I know when to cash in my winnings. I'll race you again, but no bets."

Gaia sighed. "Fine. Congrats to you as well Cynder. You should have joined in the pool."

Spyro looked equally amazed. "You were great out there Cynder. I never really noticed how fast you were."

Cynder looked away, blushing slightly. "What can I say? It pays to go last."

"True. But I still demand a rematch." Gaia said as she repositioned at the starting line. "Let's see how I do the second time around."

They spent the rest of the afternoon running the course again and again. They got incrementally better with each run and it was no surprise that Cynder eventually claimed the top spot. Pyrus worked hard, but was not used to constant work yet, despite all of Terrador's drills. As a result, he was eventually booted out of second by an extremely determined Gaia.

Out of all of them, the dragon who ran the course the most was Zero. It was obsessive almost, as soon as he finished, he would go back to the beginning. It showed in his time too, managing to knock a total of twenty-six seconds from his original for an end result of one minute and twenty-three seconds.

Exhausted, they left the training room several hours later, happily talking and reliving various moments of the day. As they walked along, they were accosted by a stout mole waving a small piece of paper. "Message for the earth dragon Gaia."

Gaia stepped forward and grabbed the sheet of paper. "This had better not be from my aunt." Her eyes quickly traveled across the page, silently reading to herself. As she reached the bottom, her expression inexplicably lit up and she bounded away with all due haste, heading for the courtyard.

"What's up with her?" Spyro asked as Gaia disappeared around a corner.

"I dunno." Connan responded. "But I think it's safe to say that the letter was not from her aunt."

"I don't know how she can still run after all the exercise we did today." Everyone turned to stare at Electra, her entrance into the conversation completely unexpected.

"Wait, are you talking to us now?" Cynder asked, amazed.

Electra bit her lip, realizing that she had once again spoken her thoughts out loud. Spyro knew he had to treat this situation carefully, as one would with a coaxing a timid animal. "It's ok, you know. We aren't going to hurt you."

Electra nodded. "I know. It's just I have such a hard time around dragons I don't know."

"We can be friends though, right?" Cynder asked, worry in her voice. After all, her past was a lot more frightening than most dragons and it might be enough to turn the electric dragoness away.

Electra nodded hesitantly. "Sure. You both seem nice. I'm sorry for not saying anything sooner."

As Spyro and Cynder smiled, Connan burst out in mock cheers. "Huzzah! Electra can now talk to every member of our group! Except for Zero that is."

"I don't think he counts Connan." Pyrus looked around to confirm that the white dragon had once again chosen not to stick around. If memory served, Zero would have gone straight to the dining hall, then retire to his chambers where he would not be seen again until morning.

They were interrupted as Gaia bounced back into view, humming happily. "What happened Gaia?" Connan asked. "Did that letter say that your dear old aunt passed away and you can live up here with us forever?"

Gaia laughed, her light-hearted mood infecting the rest of them. "No, but you'll never guess what happened. The letter was from Malrick. He asked me out on a date a few days from now! I'm so excited!"

As the other dragons expressed congratulations, Pyrus shot a glance over to Connan. He was still smiling, but it was clearly forced and his eyes had lost their humorous glint. He was the only one not asking Gaia about her upcoming date, instead seeming to back away from the group slightly.

Pyrus could only shake his head. He wished that it could have turned out better for his friend, but this was clearly out of Pyrus's control. In the end, he could only hope that the heart break would not effect Connan too adversely.

**A/N - New chapter! :D Apologizes if this looks too much like the previous chapter. I swear I'll mix it up next chapter. Anyway, thanks for reading the story so far and I promise I'll be back soon. **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 - Seeing Red

Cynder rolled sideways, barely dodging the large boulder that rolled her way. Her claws scratched against the ground as she brought herself to a halt, managing to stop in time to avoid the next boulder that landed exactly where she would have been. Cynder took a deep breath, awaiting Gaia's next move.

She didn't have long to wait. Gaia charged forward again, creating a shock-wave that traveled across the floor. Cynder leap up in the nick of time, soaring up and away from the attack. She saw a flash of movement and felt something brush past her head. She reacted instinctively, dropping her left wing to dive away from the unknown object. Two more fist-sized rock pelted past her, each aimed precisely at the space she had just vacated. Without any second thoughts, Cynder flapped her wings and sped off, avoiding additional missiles shot up from the ground.

Cynder grimaced as she executed a sharp loop, the unusual maneuver gaining her a temporary respite from the barrage. The fight had progressed in this manner for the past few minuets more or less. Every time Cynder tried to retaliate, Gaia merely created an earthen shield or dodged. And whenever Cynder tried to get up close and personal, Gaia just knocked her back with that cursed concussive blast of hers. So Cynder had no choice but to run and hope the earth dragoness would eventually tire. But it was becoming increasingly clear that Cynder would likely make a mistake long before that happened. What would Spyro think of her, running away from a foe like this?

That momentary lapse in her concentration as her thoughts drifted to Spyro cost her. The next projectile struck her squarely in the chest, the force of the impact shattering the rock into tiny pebbles. Cynder flailed, tumbling end over end as she fell. At the last second, she managed to twist so that her feet hit the floor first. The impact sent a shock through her system and for a second she feared that she had broken something. Her bones ached from the abuse, but remained intact. Great, there was no way Spyro missed that screw up.

Gaia remained in the center of the arena, grinning cockily as she prepared the next wave. Cynder growled. The fight could not be allowed to continue in this way. It was time to get creative.

Focusing her own elemental power, Cynder willed darkness to consume the arena. It instantly became blacker that the eternal night, the advantage now hers for the taking.

The ground at her feet trembled and Cynder was suddenly catapulted into the air as the earth below her jutted up. She had no opportunity to right herself in the air and she landed on her side, badly scraping her wing membrane against the rough ground. Shaking herself, Cynder rolled away to barely avoid the next uprising of rock. With darkness still shrouding the arena, it was comforting to know that Spyro had not witnessed that mistake at least.

Confusion clouded her thoughts, preventing her from forming any coherent ideas. This didn't make any sense, no dragon but her was supposed to be able to see through the fog, so how was Gaia as accurate as ever? Then it hit her. "Of course." Cynder thought to herself. "I'm still standing on the the ground. That's how she's doing it."

With this knowledge in hand, Cynder opened her wings, wincing as the raw membrane throbbed angrily. She flapped her wings tenderly, raising herself off the floor slowly, hoping that she could stay airborne. As Cynder silently glided around the arena, she could hear Gaia beginning to get desperate with her attacks, trying to locate her through a lucky hit. Cynder climbed steadily higher, knowing that the slightest sound could give her away.

Despite not being able to see her enemy, Gaia had a premonition that an attack was incoming. She quickly raised a sphere of rock around her, encasing and protecting her until Cynder made a move. Like that was really going to make any difference.

Tucking her wings back in, Cynder swooped towards Gaia's protective shell. Cynder dipped into her reserves, drawing out enough power to create a small green orb. Shooting it out in front of her descent, the ball splashed against the rock wall. It hissed and popped on contact, slowly reducing the wall to a pile of dust and green sludge. Before Gaia had a chance to rebuild, Cynder slammed home, easily knocking through the weakened wall to strike against the dragoness within.

Cynder's momentum carried both her and Gaia through the opposite side of the shell. Both dragons tumbled across the floor, painfully rolling across the debris strewn arena. As she rolled, Cynder dispelled the cloud of darkness around the stage. She had a feeling she would need all of her strength and concentration for the finale of the fight.

Both dragonesses came to a halt at the same time, eagerly scrambling to their feet. Cynder didn't know if it was because of her close proximity or if Gaia was just more exhausted than she was letting on. Either way, instead of knocking her away like before, Gaia lashed out with tooth, tail, and claw. Several blows landed before Cynder could react, tearing several gashes in her side. This wasn't the advantage she was hoping for.

Growing loudly, Cynder parried the next blow and struck back at the green dragoness. Gaia block the swipe with one of her wings, Cynder's claws harmlessly bouncing off the boney edge. Cynder saw Gaia winding up for a powerful knock-out hit using her club-like tail. Cynder ducked, narrowly avoiding the blow. Sensing an opening, Cynder's own tail darted forward, the blade opening a shallow cut across Gaia's chest. Gaia hissed in pain and counter-attacked, driving Cynder back several steps.

The situation was grim. Even with all her combat experience, Cynder was no match for Gaia, both close up and at a distance. Blood from several cuts, both deep and shallow, dripped down off of Cynder's scales, blotting the floor with little red spots. Each new injury restricted Cynder's movements and sapped away at her strength. It was time to play her last card.

Fear. It was the one element she only used as a last resort. It reminded her too much of her old days, when she instilled terror at a single glance. It had its uses, such as giving her and Spyro some room among the hordes of enemies. But using it against friends? It seemed too much like an intrusion, a manipulation of their thoughts. And that was something Cynder never wanted to do again.

But she was out of options. And she refused to let Spyro see her lose like this. Taking a deep breath, Cynder faced Gaia, making eye contact. As she stared into Gaia's green eyes, Cynder's eyes flashed red for a brief second. Cynder made sure to tune down the intensity so that Gaia wouldn't experience an all out, nightmarish-vision as what the fear element normally induced.

Gaia stopped mid-swing, her eyes growing wide as she stared at Cynder in slight shook. Cynder didn't hesitate, leaping forward to pin Gaia to the ground. Gaia fought valiantly, but Cynder manage to secure all of her limbs and use leverage to hold her there. After ten seconds of pointless struggling, Gaia gave up as Terrador's voice rang out over the silent arena. "And the winner is Cynder. Good match you two."

Cynder got off of Gaia and offered a paw. Gaia grabbed it and Cynder pulled her to her feet. Cyril walked forward, handing red crystals out to both of the dragonesses. As their wounds healed over, Gaia pointed a questioning paw at Cynder. "What was that you hit me with at the end there? I felt like I was paralyzed."

Cynder looked away, ashamed of using the terror element against her allies. "Fear. I'm sorry I used it on you. I really shouldn't have done it. I... I don't want to be remembered like that."

Gaia shook her head. "It's fine. If I had enough energy for an earth blast back there I would have used it. It's part of who you are, good or bad. It's my job to come up with an effective defense, not your job to never use it."

Cynder considered her words and nodded. "Alright. I still don't like using it though. But thanks. It was a good battle out there."

"Don't worry, I'll be looking for a rematch." Gaia smirked as they rejoined the other young dragons in the stands.

Cynder made her way back to where Spyro was sitting, talking casually with Sparx. Sparx had largely been absent from their training so far and only appeared now because "This is the first thing you guys have done that is even remotely interesting." She didn't know how Spyro put up with him.

Before she and Spyro could do anything more than nod a greeting, Terrador called out the next participants. "Next match is Spyro vs. Electra. Good luck to the both of you."

Spyro groaned and dragged himself back down the bleachers as Cynder sat down. Sparx grinned and zipped down next to her head. "Cynder! Good match. Yet another reason why I should never tick you off."

Cynder snorted disbelievingly. "That's never stopped you before if memory serves."

Sparx shrugged it off. "So what? Come on, I want to see how Spyro does in his second match."

Since they had an odd number of students, that meant that someone would have to fight twice. Spyro had already competed in the first match, soundly beating Connan within a minute. It was almost like the ice dragon was distracted by something...

/~\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Meanwhile, as Spyro and Electra took their stances, Pyrus and Connan were huddled in a corner of the stands. They were conversing quietly, only half paying attention to the matches. "Connan, what were you doing that first match against Spyro? I know you may not be the best here, but that was just pathetic!"

Connan growled, his uncharacteristically morose mood clouding his normal good humor. "My dad already gives me enough criticism, thank you very much. I don't need you butting into my life as well."

Pyrus sighed. "This is about yesterday, right? When we found out Gaia was going out with what's-his-name, right?"

"No, it's because it's a few degrees too hot in here." What normally might have been a joke was turned instead into a sharp insult soaked in sarcasm. The message was clear: buzz off.

Pyrus racked his brains for an answer. With all the comforting he was doing, he might as well be appointed group therapist. "I don't know what to tell you Connan. I don't think there was anything we could do. So stop acting like it was my fault at least."

Connan studied him for a few seconds before sighing and loosening up his tense muscles. "You're right. It's just... I got a lot on my mind right now, ok?"

Pyrus nodded. "I understand. Heck, the first few unrequited crushes I had were pretty harsh too. We just need to get up and move on."

Connan stared over Pyrus's shoulder for a few seconds, gazing at Gaia. Finally, he spoke up. "Could you explain something to me Pyrus? I thought I was doing everything right. I was nice to her, I made her laugh, and I always had her back in battle. So why does she ignore me and fall for that perfect little Prince Charming that she barely knows at all?"

Pyrus could only shake his head. He had been in this position a few times and had never gotten a proper response either. "I got no answers for you buddy. The world may never know."

"Alright, what are you guys talking about over here?" They both started and looked around to see who intruded into the private conversation. Pyrus noticed a little golden glint out of the corner of his eye and looked up to see Sparx floating a foot above their heads. Connan's eyes narrowed suspiciously as Pyrus frowned. He had met Sparx before, briefly, while the hunt for Spyro was still on going. The dragonfly didn't leave the kindest impression.

"Nothing." Pyrus said quickly, covering for Connan. "Why are you asking?"

"I'm bored." Sparx turned around to watch the arena again. "You know, when I heard you guys were sparing, I imagined something more than just one dragon running in circles while the other one shot at them." Pyrus spared a glance at the action, noticing what was going on for the first time. Currently, Spyro was running through a gauntlet of lighting bolts, attempting to get closer to Electra in any way he could. It bore a distinct resemblance to the last match. Maybe Sparx had a point.

"And anyways," Sparx continued. "You both suck at lying. I've been listening to you for the past few minutes."

Connan instantly went on the defensive, pointing a paw at the insolent dragonfly. "Not a word to anyone! Is that clear?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Sparx said, displaying his two empty palms. "Chill out. My lips are sealed."

Connan lowered his paw, eyes still shooting daggers at Sparx. The dragonfly seemed unperturbed by the attention. "You know, there is a very simple solution to your problem. Just tell her."

"What!?" Connan yelled out. After checking to make sure no one else was listening to his startled outburst, he continued in a quieter tone. "Are you insane? I couldn't do that! What would that accomplish anyways?"

Sparx shrugged. "I don't know, maybe after you express your deep love for her, she will realize she made a tragic mistake and romantically fall into your arms."

Pyrus and Connan just stared at Sparx with skeptical expressions. "Sparx," Pyrus said. "You do realize that that only happens in crummy romance novels. I'm pretty sure that it won't work the same way here."

"And besides," Connan looked away for a moment. "If that's who she really wants, then I have no right to ruin that."

"Suite yourself. Hey, look, the match is over." Pyrus looked and saw the two dragons healing their wounds with the stash of red gems. From what little he had seen, the match had been relatively straight forward. Electra had dominated the field early on, sending Spyro on the run while she executed large, area-of-effect lightning attacks. In the end though, she grew tired and Spyro was able to use his superior close quarter fighting skills to subdue her. Pyrus slowly got to his feet. There was only two dragons left after all, so he had a good idea as to who his opponent would be.

"Last match for today. Pyrus and Zero, please step forward." Pyrus moved down, glancing back at the white dragon descending behind him. Pyrus's fire element gave him an edge over Zero, so this spar should be a piece of cake.

They both took up starting positions, awaiting Terrador's command. It didn't come. Instead, Cyril walked toward Zero, offering him a red crystal. When Zero refused it, Terrador spoke up. "Zero, your leg is still injured. You need to heal up before we begin."

Pyrus looked and saw that Zero's left foreleg still had the cloth bandages around, a testament to the battle under the Badlands. Had Zero really not healed that already with the ample supply of red gems in the temple?

"That is not necessary Master Terrador." Zero told the earth guardian. "It is a small wound, it will heal on its own eventually."

"And I have let it slide thus far." Terrador left little room for any argument. "But I can't allow the possibility of you making it worse during the fight. This is not a choice Zero."

Zero stared at Terrador for a few seconds before lowering his head in submission. "Very well Master Terrador." He took the offered gem from Cyril and Pyrus saw the energy transfer to Zero. Using a single claw, Zero sliced through the bandages around his leg, revealing the unblemished scales beneath.

Next, Terrador turned to Pyrus. "Now Pyrus, since Zero does not posses an element, it would be unfair for you to use yours. Melee contact only."

Pyrus opened his mouth to object, but Zero beat him to it. "No."

A startled murmur spread through the watching crowd. Even Terrador looked surprised at the statement. "No? What do you mean Zero?"

"Forgive me Master Terrador." Zero bowed his head respectfully in Terrador's direction. "But I believed that the purpose of this training was to better prepare us for actual fights out there in the wilds. In a true engagement, an opponent would use every single advantage he had over me. If you insist on handicapping others to make the fight fair, then I fail to see the point of remaining here any longer."

Pyrus had to admit, when Zero did speak, his words were always eloquent and carefully chosen. Whenever he talked with a guardian, it was always with the upmost respect. It was a courtesy that was never conveyed to him or any of the others when they managed to wheedle a few sentences from him.

Still looking slightly surprised, Terrador nodded. "Very well Zero. Pyrus, you are free to use your element however you see fit. All other rules still apply. No attacks with an intent to kill and a ten second pin to win. Now, begin!"

Before Pyrus could even begin to formulate a strategy, Zero dashed forward. Lowering his head, Zero charged at Pyrus, his horns pointed squarely at the chest area. Pyrus opened his mouth to blast Zero with a fire ball, but then closed it. Zero had taken the moral high ground by insisting that Pyrus be able to use his element. He needed to show everyone that he wouldn't need to use fire to win this fight.

At the last second, Zero pulled up short and attempted to rake Pyrus with his claws. It was child's play to block the clumsy swing and Pyrus felt a confident grin coming on. This was easier than expected.

They exchanged several more blows, each of Pyrus's strikes getting stronger and Zero being forced to slowly fall back. Pyrus drew first blood with a thin set of scratches on Zero's right foreleg. This fight would be over soon.

Although his expression never changed, Zero appeared to be getting more and more desperate. In an effort to break the cycle, he lowered his head again and prodded Pyrus with his horns. In response, Pyrus dropped his own head and locked horns with Zero, pushing back in an attempt to end the battle once and for all.

The blow came out of nowhere. Pyrus gasped as his side exploded in agony. Glancing down, Pyrus saw Zero retracting his leg, claws stained with blood. Pausing momentarily, Pyrus moved a free paw to his side to assess the damage. Unfortunately, Zero didn't let up. Pyrus felt his neck twist as Zero pushed him away with a lot more strength than before. Pyrus hit the ground hard, his side burning in pain again.

The tide of the battle turned almost immediately. Where as before Zero's attacks had been sloppy and weak, they were now hard-hitting and performed with pin-point accuracy. Zero focused on light, quick strikes that left a stinging impression each time they collided, the intent mainly to disorientate. Pyrus could do little to block or strike back against the withering onslaught.

Pyrus grimaced, every inch of his body aching. He couldn't take much more of this. Opening his mouth, he spewed out a wide cone of flames, attempting to get some breathing room. Zero leapt back, the fire dancing across his scales, but not enough to cause any burns. So maybe Pyrus would need his element to win this fight.

Keeping a wary eye on the white dragon, Pyrus felt the extent of his injuries. A series of small cuts and bruises peppered his body, but the first wound was by far the worst. Three long gashes ran all the way along his right side, each one bleeding profusely. Pyrus had the sneaking suspicion that were there not any rules regarding lethal attacks, Zero would have gone a lot deeper.

Ignoring the pain, Pyrus returned to the matter at hand. He was being beaten quite badly, and he meant to change that. Zero was going down.

Taking the initiative, Pyrus charged forward, laying more flames down in front of him. Zero was forced to retreat, not prepared to face getting too close to Pyrus again. Noticing Zero attempting to skirt around the fiery river, Pyrus swung his tail out. The flat side of his trident struck Zero across the face, sending the dragon staggering back a few steps. Pyrus grinned, the heat from the fire around him leaving the air dry and parched. It was time to put this dragon in his place.

The battle now flip-flopped in Pyrus's favor. Zero could not bear to approach him again without sustaining severe burns, preventing any additional attacks against Pyrus. For the most part, Pyrus concentrated on herding Zero with the flames, stopping Zero from going anywhere near himself again. If Zero could be kept at arms length, he was helpless to strike back.

Pyrus began to get bolder. After realizing that simple fireballs were too easy to dodge, Pyrus cautiously closed the distance. Halting a few feet away from Zero, Pyrus released another burst of flame, filling the space between them with smoke and fire. Pyrus reached forward, pushing his paw through the flickering pillars. Feeling something hard, Pyrus immediately dug his claws into the object. He was rewarded by seeing the smokey outline of his opponent suddenly draw back. Determined not to let Zero slip away in the smoke, Pyrus erupted forward into a comet dash. For a second, Pyrus worried that he had missed, but then he felt the impact. Landing on all four feet, Pyrus looked around and saw Zero sprawled out a dozen feet ahead of him.

Zero certainly looked worse off than Pyrus from the look of things. Three small puncture wounds dotted his left shoulder, mirroring the injuries he had inflicted on Pyrus. His normally white scales were covering in ash and were beginning to match the same shade of his grey stomach scales. The formation of a nasty bruise was rapidly appearing on his chest, the same place that Pyrus had hit him with the comet dash. But none of the pain that he obviously had to be feeling made its way to his face. Zero's expression remained calm and collected as he stared back at Pyrus. Did nothing get through to this guy?

While Pyrus debated as to how to best finish the conflict, Zero moved forward again. Reacting instinctively, Pyrus blew another wall of fire in front of him, cutting Zero off. But Zero didn't stop. Instead, he unfurled his wings, placing them in front of his face to act as a primitive shield. Putting on a burst of speed, Zero rapidly closed the distance.

All too late, Pyrus saw the danger he was in. So he did the one thing that might let him get away in time. Taking a small skip backwards, Pyrus spread his own wings and took off. He barely got more than a few feet off the ground when Zero burst through the burning wall. Realigning his wings, Zero jumped up towards Pyrus, not bothering to slow down. Pyrus pumped his wings in rapid succession, attempting to gain enough altitude to evade Zero.

He did, but just barely. Zero past below, the grey horns just barely missing Pyrus's legs. Just as Pyrus began congratulating himself, Zero's tail whipped up and struck his already injured side. Pyrus cried out in pain, his wings involuntarily freezing up and dropping him a few feet. Biting the inside of his cheek, Pyrus fought to keep himself from yelling out again. A white blob moving into his blurred vision and Pyrus had to blink several times before the image came into focus. Zero, who was also airborne, was turning back around, preparing to do another pass. Out of the haze, Pyrus spat out several fireballs, none of them even remotely close to hitting the white dragon. Nevertheless, the projectiles convinced Zero to break off and he looped back around, looking for an opening. Pushing the pain from his mind, Pyrus took off in hot pursuit.

The two dragons raced around the arena, Pyrus taking pot-shots at Zero at every opportunity. With each wing stroke, Pyrus slowly gained ground, closing the distance between them and increasing the accuracy of each shot. He was vaguely aware of passing over the stands, shooting fireballs the whole way. An angry shout came from below and Pyrus dimly noted that he had almost fried Sparx with one of his shots that went wide. But he could care less at this point.

Zero turned and banked back towards the center of the room. Pyrus followed, this time taking a few seconds to line up a proper shot. Just as he fired, Zero flipped up, going up and away. He was trying to do a tight loop to get behind Pyrus and knock him out of the sky. It was an easy trick to do once you knew how to and one that Pyrus practiced often. Pulling his wings back, Pyrus followed Zero into the loop.

No sooner had he gone vertical than Pyrus realized that Zero had never intended to do a loop. Instead, Zero had gone straight up and folded his wings, dropping like a stone. Contorting his body, Zero managed to turn himself around so that his head was pointing downward again. Pyrus opened his mouth to shoot, but Zero was moving too quickly. They slid by each other, somehow managing to avoid a head-on collision. As Zero went over him, he extended his claws, ripping into Pyrus's wing membranes.

The shock spread through Pyrus's system, threatening to make him pass out. Apart from the night his parents died, he couldn't remember being in so much physical pain. It overrode every single other thought in his mind, making it impossible to even think. The only thing he could make out was a white leg dangling in front of him. Stretching his neck forward, Pyrus bit down on the offending leg. The rich, metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and acted as a sort of primal stimulant, bringing him back from the brink. His vision sharpened slightly and he became aware of them falling, the ground getting ever closer...

Zero's other rear leg struck out, connecting with Pyrus's temple. Still in shook, Pyrus released his grip, drifting away slightly from Zero. Managing to complete a single thought, Pyrus fired one last fireball at where he thought Zero should be before flaring his torn wings in an attempt to slow his fall.

Pyrus slammed into the ground, his back taking the brunt of the impact. Every cell in his body urged him to just quit and get healed, but he ignored them. He was a lot of things, but a quitter he was not. He was going to see this through.

Panting hard, Pyrus pulled himself up, turning to see Zero doing the same a little ways away. Pyrus's last fireball had been right on the money, striking Zero dead-center. The entirety of Zero's left wing was badly burned, effectively grounding the dragon. Blood dripped down the right rear leg, forming a small puddle below. Zero slowly turned to face Pyrus, heavily favoring his other three legs. Like Pyrus, he was breathing hard and showed no signs of quitting.

For the first time, Pyrus noticed all the other dragons lined up at the edge of the arena, looking on worriedly. Cyril was prepared to dash in with his gems the second the fight was finally called. Connan, Spyro and several of the others all stared at Pyrus pleadingly, urging him to just give up already. Pyrus only shook his head. Not this time.

Zero limped forward, trying to make do with only three feet and no wings. Pyrus consider going out to meet him, but though better of it. Summoning up his last reserves, Pyrus spat a fireball directly at Zero. Zero tried to dive out of the way, but his leg failed him and he fell to the ground. The fireball exploded, sending waves of flames over the crouched dragon. Zero slowly stood again and began hobbling his way towards Pyrus. Pyrus shot another fireball, which also hit Zero dead on.

As Pyrus watched Zero try to shelter himself from Pyrus's attacks, the pain from his wounds began to slowly ebb away. At his feet was a dragon who acted like he was quietly superior to everyone else. Someone who purposefully pushed them away at every opportunity and stared at them with disdain. And here he was, helpless.

Pyrus shot more fireballs, each one hitting their target. Pyrus's wounds were no more than a dull throb and a red haze clawed at the edge of his vision. When he thought back on it later, he would realize that he was not really mad at Zero, it was more just he was sick and tired of everything he had gone through. It was about not being able to do anything meaningful in his life, about always being stuck away from the action and not being able to prove himself. And for the first time, he finally felt like he had a chance to.

The rage didn't last long. A little voice in the back of his head finally got enough volume to be heard. "There is no need for this, just end the fight already."

Unconsciously obeying, Pyrus stopped shooting and stumbled forward slowly. Zero saw him coming and tried to rise, but Pyrus got there first and pinned him down.

Ten. Even after all that had happened, Zero fought as hard as he could.

Nine. Pyrus grabbed Zero's right wrist, forcing it to the ground.

Eight. Zero's tail lashed out, hitting Pyrus's injured side again.

Seven. Moving his rear legs, Pyrus stomped down on the tail, preventing any further movement.

Six. Zero's breaths were pained gasps, he was still trying to escape.

Five. The pain from Pyrus's wounds was returning. Just a little bit longer.

Four. Zero tried a head butt and Pyrus moved back slightly, avoiding it.

Three. Pyrus looked down at his opponent, making eye contact. And he saw something that he didn't expect to see.

Two. In that one instant, Pyrus saw actual emotion in those eyes. It was a mixture of pain, anger, and... Hate? Hatred at what though? Pyrus somehow got the feeling it wasn't being expressed at him.

One. Suddenly, Pyrus felt himself pushed back. Zero surged forward, acting with a lot more power than seemed possible with his injuries. In the space of one second, the roles were reversed, with Pyrus on the ground and Zero pinning. Pyrus vainly struggled, but quickly felt his strength leaving him. The adrenalin drained from his body, leaving him exposed to the full scope of his injuries. There was nothing he could do.

"That is enough!" Terrador's voice rang through the hall and Pyrus felt Zero's weight vanish. He just lay there, too tired to move. There was a clattering sound and a few red crystals dropped in front of him. Reaching a single paw out, Pyrus sighed with relief as his wounds finally healed. The pain faded away, allowing him to stand up. Looking over next to him, Pyrus saw Zero also getting to his feet, his wounds similarly repaired. They both looked up to see Terrador towering over them.

"When we set the rules for this little competition, we trusted that one of the dragons would surrender before things got this far. You both nearly killed yourselves.!" Pyrus and Zero bowed their heads, accepting the admonishment. Terrador looked both angry and ashamed. "I can see now that while both of your combat skills have increased, you still don't know how to properly use them. As bad as things get, sometimes the best practice is to live to fight another day and if this was a real fight, neither of you would be doing that!"

Terrador sighed, rubbing his face with one of his massive paws. "I can not in good conscience order either of you to do anymore training today after the display I just watched. All of you, go to your rooms, that concludes today's lesson."

Terrador immediately convened with the other guardians, talking in hushed tones as the dragons filed out of the room in silence. As they walked along the corridor outside, Pyrus did some thinking. Despite all the effort he had put in, despite all the pain he had endured, he still basically lost in the end. Not only that, but instead of a 'job well done', he got a lecture! He had just blew another chance to prove himself, just like that! The one thing Pyrus knew was that he did not want to be in the temple right now.

"Pyrus, are you ok?" Spyro asked in a concerned tone. Pyrus looked up to see everybody looking back at him, pity in each of their looks. Except for Zero, who had already disappeared around the corner.

"I'm fine." Pyrus replied shortly. Making up his mind, he strode over to one of the windows, unfurling his newly made-whole wings.

"Hold up Pyrus, Terrador said to go to our rooms." Gaia stepped forward, holding out a cautionary paw.

Pyrus shrugged. "So? It's not like he's going to find out, right?" And with that, Pyrus jumped out of the window, plummeting several stories before opening his wings and gliding out over the city.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - A Perfect Gentlemen

The rich, smokey smell of cooked meat filled Pyrus's nostrils as he entered the small eatery. He was in Warfang market district, the temple a shadowy monolith behind him. He had flew around the city the past few hours, getting his mind back in order after his disastrous sparing match against Zero. But in addition to this morning's exertions, the flight had left him tired and starving.

Thankfully, a lifetime of growing up in a fortress had taught him that it always paid to have useful things stashed around your immediate area. In this case, it was a small pouch of coins he had hidden behind a local blacksmith's forge, where the heat was too great for any other type of dragon. He had more hidden stashes like this all around the market place and to his knowledge, only one had been found by a passerby. He always had been the best at hide-and-seek.

The diner was packed, with species of all types knocking elbows with each other at the cramped tables. A lively chatter filled the air as a multitude of voices rang out, punctuated periodically by laughter. Luckily, the line was short and Pyrus managed to get to the counter in short order. The cheetah butcher stared at him expectantly as Pyrus studied the simple wooden sign detailing the different cuts of meat and their prices.

"I'll have the roast please." Pyrus said at last.

The butcher nodded. "Excellent choice if I do say so myself. Certainly one of our most popular today. It'll be up in a few minutes."

Pyrus grunted impatiently and stepped back so the next customer could order. As he did, a snide voice called out from behind him. "I would make sure he actually has the money to pay for that if I were you."

Pyrus groaned aloud. He had an feeling as to who it was and it was not about to make his day any better. Nevertheless, he turned around to face his accuser.

Crystal looked as stunning as ever, her scales shined to near perfection. The bracelets around her ankles had been replaced, the new ones practically blinding him with their brilliance. Her stature was one of grace and eloquence, like a rare bird sunning on a high tree branch. The image of beauty was shattered by her expression, which was one of utter contempt.

Pyrus just stared, both captivated and infuriated by her presence. Getting a hold of himself, he reached up and pulled a single gold coin out of the small bag he carried. He slammed it down on the counter, his eyes never leaving her. The butcher quickly grabbed the coin and scurried away, evidently not wanting to be caught up in the coming argument. Crystal looked unimpressed.

Pyrus forced a smile onto his face. If he could somehow get in her good books, then this might not be such a bad day after all. "Hello again. I don't know if you remember me, we bumped into each other not too long ago."

She snorted. "Trust me, I never forget a face that ugly."

"Oh come on Crystal!" Pyrus exclaimed. "How many times do I have to say I'm sorry? I'm just trying to be nice."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You could start by treating me with some respect. Only my friends call me Crystal."

"Alright then, _your highness_," Pyrus rolled his eyes. "What would you prefer me to call you?"

Crystal stuck her nose up at him, not amused with his sarcasm. "Miss. Develia will do. If your brain can handle that many syllables that is."

Pyrus was beginning to get agitated. "As you wish, Miss Develia." Pyrus executed a mock bow. "Would the lady care to hear my regal title?"

Crystal frowned. "No. Why would I want to hear the name of some vile, little..."

"It's Pyrus." Pyrus said, cutting her off before she could finish the insult.

Crystal looked strangely contemplative. "Pyrus, you say? Hmmmm, sounds like a noble name, one passed down from generation to generation. If I remember correctly, it was a great warrior's name, one who was celebrated for his heroic feats in battle. What a royal name it is, Pyrus."

Pyrus blinked. "Wait a second, are you actually complementing me for once?"

"Of course not." Crystal waved a dismissive paw at him. "I was merely marveling at how much you have managed to disgrace such a revered name."

Pyrus knew it was too good to be true. The butcher came back around to the counter, a steaming roast sitting on a simple plate. Making sure to distance herself from him, Crystal walked up to the counter. "I'll have a steak. Roasted until tender, no larger than three centimeters by three centimeter, and with spices. Make it quick, I have places to be."

The butcher immediately disappeared into the kitchen, rushing to prepare the meal to Crystals specific preferences. Pyrus stared at her incredulously. "And what is important enough to have to bully that cheetah around?"

Crystal sniffed daintily. "I wouldn't expect a commoner like you to understand."

Pyrus gave up all attempts to get on her good side. This dragoness needed a good talking to. "Oh what great tragedy had befallen your family? Run out of scale polish?"

Anger clouded Crystal's eyes again. "How rude! And you look like you were just thrown out of a boarding house and right into the city dump!"

Pyrus looked down and realized that he was still covering in dust and dirt from his sparing match. That alone was probably more insulting to her than anything he had said. "So what? It means that I actually put a good day's work in, unlike you who just got everything handed down to you by your parents."

Crystal tried to respond, but Pyrus wasn't finished yet. "And you know what else? That first day we met I actually helped save this city from being overrun while you were more concerned with your spilt groceries!"

"Oh please." Crystal finally managed to get a word in edgewise. "You were probably doing some menial task like hauling ammo while the purple dragon did all the work. Typical male, taking all the credit for other's hard work."

Pyrus almost lost it, but managed to keep his cool, just barely. It would do him no good to get angry at this point. He stood, carefully selecting his words. Looking back up, he made eye contact with the blue dragoness, staring right back into her violet eyes.

"You're right. You are completely, 100% correct. Although I was a bit more active this last attack, before that I was just a measly ammo courier, delivering ammunition so the cannons could continue firing. But you know what," Pyrus raised his voice a little so that it echoed around the diner. "That means that I have done more for the welfare of this city than you have done in your whole life. I worked hard, once even going 24 hours straight, doing nothing but lugging cannon balls around. But I did it without complaining. Because I knew I was doing something important."

"But you on the other hand," Pyrus pointed an accusing claw at Crystal. "You have not done one worthwhile thing in your life. You're weak, you can't get something without it being handed to you. You go around and expect us to treat you with respect when from what I've seen, you haven't done a single thing to earn that. So yeah, I may be a little bit dirty and I may be a bit rude. But I like to think that I actually earned a right to do that from time to time. After all, me and a lot of the other citizens in here worked so hard so that you could be standing here now. If anything, you should be giving us the respect."

There was dead silence as Pyrus ended his speech. Everyone in the diner was staring at the two, many with forgotten slices of meat suspended between plate and teeth. The butcher stood quietly behind the counter, Crystal's steak in his hands. The stillness was so absolute that you could hear a pin drop.

Crystal was livid. She stared at Pyrus, anger burning in her once pristine eyes. She shook her head, regaining some of her former composure. Noticing the butcher standing behind Pyrus, she arrogantly turned her nose up at them. "I have decided that I don't want to eat at this establishment after all. I will also not be coming back here anytime in the future. Now if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than debate philosophy with a obnoxious little street rat." And with that, she stormed outside.

The silence lasted until the door swung closed again, then to Pyrus's surprise, it broke into a round of applause. The other patrons all grinned and nodded at him, conveying their appreciation for what he had just said. Embarrassed, Pyrus looked away as the applause started to die down. Noticing the butcher standing behind him with Crystal's steak still in hand, Pyrus quickly apologized for driving away one of his customers. He even offered to pay for the uneaten steak.

"Don't be." The cheetah stated. "I know her type and it was a fine sight to see her knocked down a few rungs. As a matter of fact," The cheetah dug into his pocket before fishing out the coin Pyrus had given him. "I'll even pay you for that. The roast is on me."

Pyrus blinked in astonishment. "Wow, thanks."

"Don't mention it." The butcher replied. "And if you don't mind me asking, do you have some form of political standing to protect you? The Develias are very rich and they won't take kindly to this."

Pyrus scratched his head. "I live up at the temple, does that count for anything?"

The butcher grinned. "Yes, of course. The Develias are powerful, but they wouldn't go after someone under the guardian's protection. Oh, and if you or any of your friends are in the area, be sure to drop on by. I'll give you a discount on all meals."

"Thanks." Pyrus said, trying his best to express his gratitude. "But with the way one of my friends eats, I think you may regret that."

The butcher laughed and passed Pyrus's roast over to him. Pyrus took it and quickly found an empty seat to eat at. Some of the dinners near him gave him another nod, which Pyrus returned. As he dug into the roast, which was as succulent and delicious as advertised, Pyrus reflected that he had won at least one fight that day.

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"Oh great, now where did I put it?" Gaia stood on two hind legs, desperately scanning the mostly empty bookshelf. The only three books that were actually on the shelf where stacked neatly in the corner, quietly gathering dust. They were all volumes on different Earth techniques and held the record as to the only books Gaia had actually sat down and voluntarily read. She had absorbed all the knowledge she could from them and it had been years since they were opened. These days, they only got in her way.

Shifting the books aside with one paw, Gaia glimpsed a faint glint of gold. Extending a claw, she managed to snag the thin chain of the necklace. It was the same one she had bought a few days earlier and it would be absolutely perfect for tonight.

Dropping back down with the necklace in hand, Gaia began pacing the room as she ran through a mental checklist. Scales cleaned: Check. Claws carefully filed: Check. Jewelry: pending.

Gaia growled in frustration as she felt the two clasps clink off each other from somewhere behind her head. Last time she had worn this, Electra had helped her get it on. Maybe she should go see if either her or Cynder were available to help.

Just as Gaia was about to leave to see if any of the girls were still around, there was a soft knock at her door. "That was convenient." Gaia thought to herself as she opened the door to see who it was. To her surprise, it wasn't Cynder or Electra, but Connan.

The ice dragon looked a little awkward and he quickly looked away when she opened the door. His eyes fixed on some point over her left shoulder, he spoke in a nervous voice. "Hey Gaia, mind if I come in for a bit?"

Gaia smiled politely at Connan before shaking her head. "Sorry, I was just heading out. You can walk with me if you like though."

Connan nodded enthusiastically. "That'd be great. Could we just hurry a bit so that no one catches me in the female dorms please?"

In response, Gaia waltzed out of her room, swinging the door shut behind her. Her necklace was still clasped in one of her paws, quickly forgotten in the presence of a friend. As soon as they exited the female dorms and slowed down to a walk, Gaia noticed Connan giving her a sidelong glance, watching her cautiously. Upon seeing that she noticed him staring, Connan quickly cleared his throat. "You look absolutely lovely tonight Gaia. What's the occasion?"

"Oh..." Gaia sighed and stared dreamily off in front of her. "Tonight's my first date with Malrick. Do you think I look good enough for the date Connan?"

"Yes, of course! You look great!" Connan was quick to placate her, least he fall into one of the all too common pitfalls surrounding a question like that. Gaia smiled again and they lapsed back into silence.

Connan was the first to speak again. "So, this Malrick guy. Is he nice?"

"I certainly hope so." Gaia said. "He has more than enough good looks to make up for it though."

Connan did a double take. "So you're telling me you actually don't know the guy you're going on a date with?"

Gaia looked away, slightly abashed. "Well... Not exactly. We've only spoken on two occasions, but when we did he was ever so polite. A true gentlemen."

"And that reminds me," Gaia stopped and opened her paw, reveling the gold necklace with in. "Could you help me get this on? I just can't fit it together without seeing it in front of me."

"Sure. Anything for you." Handing the necklace over, Gaia turned and sat down. She felt Connan brush up against her tail as he placed the necklace around her neck. There was a few seconds pause before the necklace sagged around her throat, secured in place by the conjoined ends.

"There, now you're complete." Connan said as he stepped back. Gaia admired the way the gold shone and sparkled in the evening sun filtering in through the windows. It really was an beautifully well-crafted piece.

"You know, Gaia," Gaia tuned back around to face Connan, who was staring at the floor again. Was it just her, or did his cheeks look just the slightest bit redder? "Why waste all this time and effort to get ready for Malrick when you could just stick around here and go out with a nice, handsome guy like, ummmm, me?"

Gaia laughed, the sound light and gay. "That's what I like about you Connan, you're always joking around and making me laugh." She glanced out the window, estimating the time from the sun's position. "Oh jeez, I got to get going. Thanks for the help Connan, see you later!"

Gaia merrily trotted down the hallway, turning a corner and entering the courtyard, leaving a desolate Connan behind her. He just sat there, staring after her. Quietly, so that no one would hear, he spoke aloud to himself. "But... I wasn't joking around that time."

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Oblivious to what she had left behind her, Gaia walked out of the main gate and into the narrow plateau that surrounded the temple. The lift terminals stood in front of her, the simple metal structures paling in comparison to the massive temple. Gaia impatiently shifted her wings as she gazed around the clearing. She desperately hoped she hadn't kept him waiting.

She silently groaned as she saw the blood-red dragon leaning up against one of the terminal walls, idly examining his razor sharp claws. He looked up as she approached, and to her surprise, went into a low bow. "Miss Gaia. How wonderful it is to see you again. If I may, that necklace around your neck perfectly complements your appearance. Twenty carat?"

"Twenty-four." Gaia responded. "And I'm so sorry if I kept you waiting. I got side-tracked talking to a friend."

"It happens to the best of us my dear." Malrick's smooth voice glossed over her statement. "Besides, I insisted on getting here early as to not keep you waiting, so no harm done."

Gaia was slightly taken aback. "You got here early? For me?"

Malrick nodded. "Of course. To do otherwise would have been terribly impolite. Are you all ready to depart?"

"Yeah, I mean, yes I am." Gaia looked away, trying to hide the blush appearing on her face. Someone who actually waited for her without being asked. How chivalrous.

They went to dinner at one of the finer establishments of the city, one where the food was actually brought directly to you after you ordered instead of picking it up yourself. They talked extensively about any subject that came to mind. Gaia described her life at the temple and Malrick talked about how he lived down in the city.

Finally, after much urging from Gaia, he retold his part during the siege of Warfang. He had been up on the walls, fighting off the hordes of ravenous grublins the poured from the siege towers. Gaia was impressed by how modest Malrick was about his role in the battle. He always downplayed his part, insisting that Spyro had kept a majority of the enemies from ever reaching him.

Hoping to top Malrick's deeds, Gaia launched into a retelling of her sparing match against the fabled Terror of the Skies. Malrick listened intently, not interrupting and his eyes firmly fixed on her face. As she finished with her inevitable defeat, he looked away mournfully. "How sad that Cynder had to resort to such underhand tactics to defeat an obviously superior opponent. That match was cheated away from you, my dear."

Gaia shrugged. "I don't think it was cheating since there was no rule against it. The guardians even told us specifically to use all of our elements to our fullest advantage. Cynder won fair and square."

Malrick snorted. "Only cowards use fear. She took the easy way out instead of accepting defeat."

Gaia frowned for the first time that night. "Hey, that's one of my friends that you're talking about."

"My apologizes. I was merely expressing my condolences." Malrick took a small sip of his drink, tactfully diffusing the situation. Gaia decided to let it slide. It would be foolish to let such a small incident turn into a fight. And she did not want to ruin this evening.

Their food arrived in short order, the platters still steaming from the grill. As she ate, Gaia shot covert looks at Malrick, who was politely using utensils as opposed to his claws. He conducted himself in such a calm and mild-mannered way it was almost surprising. The fact that one dragon was doing all of this for her was almost unthinkable. And on top of the fact that this particular dragon was soooo handsome. With his chiseled chin, his muscular tail, and his captivating eyes...

Gaia quickly looked down at her plate, hoping to hide the slight blush that was threatening to appear. She really had to get a hold of herself, this wasn't like her. But it was just so hard to resist the dragon's charms.

To Gaia's delight, Malrick offered to pay the bill. As much as she detested being reliant on anyone, the cost of the meal far exceeded the meager allowance she got from the guardians. After the bill was settled, they got up and headed into the cool night air. As they reentered the still bustling city streets, a pale red dragoness accosted them. "Why hello there Malrick. Fancy meeting you here. Care to take a stroll?"

Gaia vaguely recognized the dragoness as one of the ones that was constantly vying for Malrick's attention. She was about to issue a harsh rebuttal when Malrick stepped in front of her. "That sounds lovely Niana, but as you can see I am otherwise engaged tonight."

Niana pouted and drew closer to him, pressing herself against the red scales. "You can't seriously want to be with _her,_ could you? She's just a poor little orphan after all. Come on, don't you want it be with another fire dragon? If you want, we could even..."

"I said no Niana!" Malrick all but shouted, pushing the dragoness away. "Now leave us alone or I guarantee you will regret suggesting that."

Niana drew back, her expression now shocked and fearful. Sparing one more glance at the couple, she sped down the street until she vanished into the crowd. As she watched her go, Gaia couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the other dragoness. "That was a tad harsh, don't you think Malrick?"

"Maybe," he said, quickly regaining his composure. "But they get on my nerves sometimes and that's the only sure fire way to get rid of them. Although..." A sly grin snaked its way onto his face. "There is another way. But I'm with you now, so it wouldn't be right."

"Really? You're with me now?" Never in her wildest dreams did Gaia imagine this would be happening.

"If it is acceptable to you." Malrick inclined his head again. "But alas, the night is getting older and we must soon retire. Would you like me to escort you home?"

"Yes please." Gaia smiled broadly, over the moon with joy. Best. Date. Ever.

A little while later, they landed back in front of the temple. To Gaia's surprise, Malrick took one of her paws and planted a kiss on it, bowing low in the process. "Good night, moon petite fleur. I will patiently await the next time your beautiful visage appears to me."

While Gaia stammered in response, Malrick spread his wings and soared off into the starry sky. Gaia watched breathlessly as the silhouette of the dragon quickly became indistinguishable from the night sky. Giving a small hop of glee, Gaia turned and strode back into the temple, delighted over the night's events. But the higher her heart soared, the more despondent the ice dragon that had watched the whole thing from the shadows felt.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Field Day

"And then, he kissed my paw! He was such a gentleman! I can't wait for you guys to meet him." Gaia chatted excitedly at one end of the breakfast table, relating every single detail from last night's date to her captive audience. Meanwhile, Spyro and Pyrus watched with a bewildered expression as Cynder launched into a wide barrage of questions, while Electra listened to the answers intently.

"Is this considered normal behavior? Or is it just some special occasion?" Spyro asked, glancing to the red dragon sitting next to him.

Pyrus shrugged in response. "Your guess is as good as mine. But I've never seen Gaia so.. so.."

"Feminine?" Spyro prompted

Pyrus nodded. "That's the word. She's usually more a tomboy, always training and all. What do you think Connan?"

Connan, who was sitting across from them, mumbled an incoherent response into his plate. His eyes were downcast, never once rising to look at them or the gossiping girls down the table. Spyro shot a look at Pyrus, silently asking why the normally care-free dragon was so glum. Pyrus returned the look with a shrug and an expression that said "Best to leave him alone right now."

They fell back into silence, the room dominated by snippets of the girl's conversation. After a few more minutes of hearing about how great Malrick was, Pyrus clasped his head with both hands. "That does it. If I hear 'He's so polite' one more time, I'm going to lose it."

Spyro nodded in agreement, scanning the room in the hopes of finding an excuse to leave the table. "Huh, maybe Zero has the right idea after all." Pyrus glanced up to see the white dragon eating at his usual table in the corner, his back to them. Spyro tapped Pyrus on the foreleg. "How about we go join him? Can't be much worse than staying here, can it?"

Pyrus growled and shook his head, remembering how bitter yesterday's sparing match had become. "No way am I sitting with him. I'll endure just fine over here."

Gaia voice intruded on their conversation again and both dragon turned to look back down the table. "Well the one thing I wore for it was that nice necklace I bought the last time the city was attacked. You know, the one you refused to buy Electra. Anyway, he said..."

Pyrus stood up, the bench moving back with a loud screech. "Alright, I lied. Let's go to the lesser of the two evils. You coming Connan?"

Connan looked up, not at Pyrus, but down the table to Gaia and the others. After a few seconds of indecisiveness, he got up and followed Spyro and Pyrus to the lonely table.

"Good morning Zero. Mind if we join you?" Spyro asked as the motley group formed around the table.

Zero paused in his eating and looked up to glare at each of them, saying nothing. Pyrus meet the glare head on, staring straight back into Zero's electric blue eyes without blinking. After a few tense seconds, Zero broke the contact and looked back down at his food, paying them no more attention.

Accepting that that was as close to an answer as he was going to get, Spyro seated himself across from Zero, Pyrus and Connan sitting down on either side of him. Free from the incessant chatter of the other table, they conversed on a multitude of subjects, Zero acting as a silent observer. Finally, the morning bell sounded out over the temple and the young dragons all stood to replace their plates and head off to training. As they joined the girls at the dish receptacle, Pyrus remembered that there was something he meant to ask Gaia, but never managed to get a word in edgewise. "Hey Gaia, you know a lot of people down in the city, right?"

"Yep, I got knowledge on most everybody of importance down there. Why are you asking?" Gaia put her empty plate down and turned to Pyrus, a contented grin still plastered on her face.

"Do you happen to know anyone by the name of Crystal Develia?"

Gaia looked thoughtful, tapping a single claw against her chin. "That definitely rings a bell. Ice dragoness, perfectly polished scales, about our age, right?"

Pyrus nodded as the dragons began filing out of the dining hall. "That's the one. You know much about her?"

Gaia shook her head. "Not much, never had the misfortune to run across her. I do know a lot about the family though. They own an iron mine just South of Avalar. When the war started, demand skyrocketed and they easily became one of the wealthiest families in the city. I heard they bought their way out of military service and hoarded all their newfound wealth in a massive mansion. Crystal is their spoiled brat of a daughter that didn't even leave the mansion grounds until about a year ago. Did you have a run in with her?"

Pyrus rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, twice. So that's why she acted all self important."

"Pyrus, listen to me, I know you have a habit of going after mean girls, but trust me, this one is nothing but trouble. Dragons that cross their family are never seen from again." Gaia poked Pyrus in the chest, emphasizing her point.

Pyrus gulped. "Really? I may be in over my head then."

Gaia laughed, slapping Pyrus heartily on the back. "Relax, I'm just joking around. The Develias are rich, but they're not criminals. Worst they'll do is demand you pay a fine, but I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

Pyrus breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. You had me fearing for my life for a few seconds there." They had reached the large wooden doors of the training arena. As they entered and Gaia began drifting back over to the girls, one of her previous comments clicked into Pyrus' mind.

"And I don't have a habit of going after mean girls!" He shouted over to her as they all took their seats in front of the already present guardians. Terrador raised an amused eyebrow, but made no other comment as the dragons all sat attentively, looking forward to hearing the day's activities.

"Good morning everyone. I trust you all slept well." Terrador looked over the small class, making eye contact with each and every one of them. "After much conferring, we have decided that today's exercises will take place outside the temple boundaries. Now come, Cyril is already waiting for us."

"But we just got here." Pyrus grumbled. Nevertheless, he followed Terrador back out the doors and out into the courtyard. They took off as one, souring up into the blissfully clear sky.

They flew on silently, maintaining proper formation and watching the city scroll past underneath them. As they cleared the walls and swept past into the countryside, Pyrus began wondering just how far out they were going. After all, rouge bands of grublins still roamed the countryside, looking for anything to kill or pillage. A small spark of hope kindled in Pyrus' chest. Maybe, for once, they were going on a real, dangerous, seek and destroy mission to test their abilities. Maybe yesterday's disaster with sparing had convinced the guardians it was time to let them at the real thing. Maybe, they would finally make a real difference in the world.

To Pyrus' eternal disappointment, their flight ended just ten minuets out of the city in a small, woodland clearing. Cyril was already waiting for them, along with a familiar golden glow. "About time you guys got here." Sparx complained as the dragons touched down into the clearing. "We have been waiting for ages."

Pyrus ended his landing with a light jog, burning off the last of his momentum. However, an unforeseen rock struck his left foot, sending him sprawling across the grass. A loud guffaw rang out behind him and Pyrus craned his neck to see Connan pointing at him, laughing his head off. At least he was feeling better. Next to Connan, Zero landed, silently watching the scene before him. Pyrus imagined he saw the faintest trace of amusement in Zero's eyes, before the dragon turned his attention to the guardians. Pyrus issued a low growl as he got to his feet. So now Zero was laughing at him, was he?

"It was hardly ages, my dear fellow." Cyril replied to the dragonfly's rude exclamation. "They got here precisely when Terrador said they would."

"Alright, alright already." Sparx waved an impatient hand. "Can we just get on with it, I'm bored."

"Very well Sparx." Terrador stepped forward to address the crowd. "Today's scenario will teach you the importance of dividing your assets and prioritizing objectives. You will be playing a game of capture the flag."

Spyro and Cynder both looked confused while the others let out a loud cheer. "What's capture the flag?" Cynder asked Electra, who was standing closest.

Electra jumped slightly and shyly glanced back at Cynder. "Oh, well, I'm sure someone else can explain it better than I could. It's really fun though."

Before Cynder could ask anyone else, Terrador continued speaking. "You will be divided into two teams and each team will be issued a flag. The round will continue until one team successfully captured and returned the other flag to where their own flag is stashed, or when all the players of one team are eliminated."

Cynder had slowly made her way to Spyro, who was the only other dragon there that didn't know the rules of the game. "Sounds simple enough, right Spyro?"

She nudged him playfully and Spyro quickly tried to stammer out a response. "What? Oh, yeah, easy. Piece of cake."

"Now we have made a few changes to some of the rules." Terrador continued on. "To avoid the any overly-brutal conflicts like yesterday, all you have to do to eliminate an enemy player is sever the ribbon around their neck."

Cyril walked forward, handing out the ribbons for each dragon to tie around their necks. Pyrus groaned when he say the color. "Pink!? Why in the world does it have to be pink?"

Cyril looked slightly disgruntled. "If you haven't noticed young Pyrus, between the seven of you, almost all primary colors are represented in some way. We needed a color that wouldn't unfairly bend in with any of your scales."

Pyrus reluctantly accepted his ribbon, securely tying it around his neck. "Orange would have worked too, you know."

Pyrus looked back up to find Terrador staring directly at him. "One last reminder that your flags have to be displayed out in the open and that there are no safe zones. If you lose your ribbon for any reason, you are not allowed to interact with other players or the flag, but you are to return to this clearing immediately. Additionally, Sparx and myself will be monitoring the contest to ensure no foul play takes place. Any questions?" Cynder and Spyro both shook their heads with the rest of the dragons, feeling that they had a pretty good grasp of the rules.

Terrador nodded. "Very well. The teams are Electra, Gaia, Cynder and Connan vs. Spyro, Pyrus and Zero. You each have five minutes to hide your flags. Good luck."

The two teams quickly formed up opposite each other, staring the opposition down. Finally, Cynder's team grabbed their flag and walked out of the clearing not once looking back. Pyrus retrieved their own flag, a moderately sized piece of bright red cloth, and began walking off in the other direction, followed closely by Spyro and Zero.

As they entered the tree line, Spyro spoke up. "You've obviously had more experience than me with this Pyrus. So what's the game plan?"

Pyrus looked back at Spyro, surprised that the purple dragon was asking him what to do. He thought about it for a minute before replying. "The way I see it, they outnumber us. But at the same time, they wouldn't leave their flag completely unguarded. So I think that if all three of us start out defensive, we could hopefully repel any attack they throw at us. Then anyone whose left could go after their flag and defenders."

Spyro nodded, seeing the strategic wisdom of the plan. "Good idea. What do you think Zero? Zero?"

Both dragons stopped and looked around, finding themselves completely alone in the forest. The white dragon had effectively vanished into the trees. Pyrus growled. "What a team player he is. Come on Spyro, if we play our cards right, we can still win this by ourselves."

Finally, the pair came to what looked like an agreeable spot for their flag. A large rock outcropping jutted out of the ground, forcing any attackers to go along a few select routes to reach where the flag stood in the center. As he placed a large rock on top of one corner of the flag, Spyro glanced up to see the outcropping situated directly below a sizable hole in the canopy. "Wait a second, don't you think they'll just swoop down and nab this from above?"

Pyrus shook his head. "I don't think they'll be that reckless. We only have one life after all. They'll stick to the ground where they can easily remain hidden."

Spyro nodded and joined Pyrus in surveying the terrain from atop the largest boulder. As they stood there, a loud roar reverberated across the tranquil forest. "That was the signal to start I guess." Pyrus hoped down and took another long look around their base area. "Well Spyro, you have more actual combat experience, so how would you best defend this area?"

Spyro scanned the area from on top of his perch. "It seems like this outcropping would block most rear attacks, so we just have to defend frontal assaults." Spyro frowned, the dozens of possible hiding places suddenly jumping out at him. "Why don't you walk around in front of the rock while I hide in one of the trees. We could set an ambush for when they do come calling."

"Excellent plan, except for the part where you're using me as bait." Pyrus raised a single eyebrow at the purple dragon.

Spyro paused and looked around.

"If you want, I could be the bait while you be the ambush."

Pyrus sighed loudly. "No, I'll just quietly take my assigned place. Besides, they may expect you to be on offense, so they won't be searching over here for you. Just hurry up, I'm not sure how long it will take them to get here."

Spyro nodded and leap up the nearest tree. Pine needles rained down as he made his way further up until he finally stopped on a large branch about halfway up the trunk. The thick, health branches easily covered up his purple scales, making it nearly impossible to see him. Pyrus began his patrol, moving back and forth across the outskirts of the outcropping.

It was tedious work. Pyrus had to remain alert enough to check for the slightest bit of movement, but the monotony of it was quickly getting to him. The forest fell into a dead silence save for the occasional bird call. Twice, Pyrus gave a start as a rabbit or other small wildlife dashed out of a bush in front of him. Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then twenty.

Pyrus yawned as he turned back around and started walking back the other way, a solid path now worn along his patrol route. For the first time, he began to doubt himself. What if someone on the other team had used the same logic he had? What if all four of them were also playing defensive, awaiting an attack that would never come? How many hours would pass that way before Terrador finally called an end to the session, angrily berating all of them over unimaginative tactics and strategies. Pyrus angrily punched the side of a boulder as he moved around it. Lectures two days in a row, that was just what he needed.

A slight crackling in the air was all the forewarning he had. Throwing himself flat on the ground, he winced as a lightning bolt struck the rock behind him, pelting him with an array of small chips. Rolling once before regaining his feet, he spun around to see Electra breaking from cover a few hundred feet away. He had forgotten how good she was at long range attacks.

Pyrus took off running, attempting to cut her off. Closer at hand, he saw Spyro drop out of his tree, prepared to pounce on her as she ran past. Electra didn't pause, but instead opened her mouth and created a bright, glowing sphere. The sphere split and ruptured, sending a wave of blinding light across the immediate area.

From his position several hundred feet away, Pyrus squinted and covered his eyes, the after image still burned into his retinas. Spyro got hit by the full force of the flash. He misjudged his jump, harmlessly sailing over Electra to crash into a gigantic ponderosa. Pyrus could see Spyro shaking his head, trying to regain his vision. After what seemed like an eternity, Spyro regained some semblance of direction and took off in pursuit, following the sounds of Electra dashing through the forest.

Leading his target, Pyrus fired three fireballs in rapid succession. Two flew harmlessly past, while the third was blocked by a shield that Electra called into being. Spyro was making up for lost ground, also firing a variety of projectiles at the fleeing dragoness, each one being similarly deflected.

Pyrus leapt up over a crumbling log, landing neatly on the other side and coming to a screeching halt. He was just too far away to do any good. It was time to mix things up a little.

Creating fire away from a dragon's body was widely regarded as one of the finer techniques of the fire element. It took a lot of concentration and was generally much weaker than other fire attacks, so Pyrus avoided using it as much as possible. But now might be a good time.

Taking a deep breath, Pyrus closed his eyes, focusing on the burning ember deep inside of him. Slowly feeding the ember fuel, he urged it to grow, to expand. He told it manifest itself in the material world, spreading, consuming, burning. With that last thought, he let the energy go, allowing it to appear where he desired.

As Electra ran forward, a raging wall of flames sprang into being directly in front of her, baring her path to flag with their withering inferno. It was pathetic really. The tallest flames only reached as high as Electra's chest and the whole line barely stretched ten feet. But it served its purpose.

Electra stumbled, temporarily distracted by the flames sudden appearance. Her shield flickered, her concentration fractured. That was all the opening Spyro needed. Opening his mouth, he spat out two large, icy projectiles. Both of them broke through the wavering shield and wrapped around Electra's legs, freezing her in place. Before she could even begin to set about freeing herself, Spyro was upon her, severing the pink cord with a single swipe of his claws.

Electra gave a disappointed sigh and ceased attempting to break the ice, instead laying down in defeat. Pyrus trotted over, grinning ear to ear. Leaning down, he blew a concentrated stream of hot air over the ice, weakening it just enough for Electra to break out. "See Spyro, that wasn't so bad. One down, three to go."

Spyro nodded, still blinking his eyes blearily. "I guess. That was one mean attack you hit me with though. I won't see clearly for a week I think."

"Come on Electra," Pyrus stepped forward. "That wasn't very good planning on your part, just admit it. You were at least five hundred feet away from the flag when you broke cover. You couldn't really expect to get that far before we caught you, right?"

"Oh, well," Electra glanced around, looking every where except the two dragons. She did not like being put on the spot. "You see, um," Pyrus and Spyro both leaned forward, awaiting her answer. Her head hung down and her tone just above a whisper, Electra said, "I wasn't meant to be the one to actually reach the flag."

Pyrus cocked his head at her. "What the heck does that..."

"Oh no." Spyro had a horrified expression on his face. "If we are both standing here, then..."

"Who's watching the flag?" Pyrus finished, coming to the same realization. Both dragons immediately turned tail and dashed toward the outcropping as fast as their legs would carry them. Behind them, Electra spread her wings and took off, angling her way back to the starting clearing.

Pyrus ran through the forest, branches whipping across his face. He couldn't believe he had been so stupid, of course it was a diversion. And now there was no one to stop Electra's comrade from taking the flag and making a clean getaway. As they approached the outcropping, Pyrus scanned the skies, knowing that whoever secured the flag would favor a high-speed escape as opposed to a stealthy ground retreat. But nothing but a small flock of bird dotted the clear blue skies, not a single trace of the enemy runner.

Spyro and Pyrus both reached the outcropping at the same time, leaping over the boulders and skidding to a halt of the rocky ground. To their complete and utter amazement, they saw that the flag was sitting right where they had left it, securely pinned under a set of small rocks. Both dragons spun back around, half expecting to see a figure springing up from behind them, claws extended towards their ribbons. But no attack came.

After several minutes of catching their breath and watching the surrounding landscape for any signs of movement, Pyrus finally gasped out, "I don't get it, where are they? Shouldn't they have come out when Electra started the attack?"

Spyro stood back up on top of the largest boulder, but his vantage point didn't give him that much more of a view. "I don't know, do you think they're playing some sort of psychological game with our heads? Making us on edge and paranoid?"

"Let's hope not." Pyrus took a deep breath to calm his nerves and tried to think as to the best course of action. "We need to check the perimeter, quietly. There is definitely at least one more out there. And maybe they just missed the signal and are still waiting for Electra's diversion."

Spyro nodded. "Then we'll be able to get the jump on them, good thinking." He hopped down next to Pyrus. "Lead on."

The two dragons silently creeped into the underbrush, stealthily making their way in a large circle around the outcropping. Pyrus dashed from cover to cover, or dragged himself through low, prickly bushes in an attempt to remain undetected. But his attention was more focused outward, and he caused a lot of noise as he moved on. He was aware that each twig snap could give them away, but they needed to finish the sweep quickly and return to the unguarded flag.

Pyrus froze, his ears picking up a sound that didn't quite match up with the peaceful forests. Spyro heard it too and both dragons slowly sank down to the ground. Pyrus turned his head, trying to identify the noises. It sounded like... Voices.

Pyrus turned back to Spyro and made a circular motion with his paw. Spyro nodded and crawled off, moving a lot slower and quieter than before.

After giving Spyro a few minutes head start, Pyrus began his own advance, heading directly toward where the voices were coming from. His heart beat loudly in his chest and his ears picked up every little vibration. He hated having to be stealthy, he much preferred to just charge in, claws extended and a fireball on his tongue. But if there were multiple enemies up ahead, an ambush might be the only way for the two of them to win.

As it turned out, it wasn't two dragons taking to each other, it was just one dragon monologuing to himself. And that one dragon turned out to be Connan. When Pyrus finally peered through the branches of a low bush to behold the scene, he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

Connan hung upside down, his head occasionally bumping the trunk of the young tree next to him. A vine was neatly tied to his right-rear foot, holding him in place. Looking up, Pyrus could just see the other end of the vine attached to the top of the ten-foot tree, bending it slightly. Hoping that Spyro would have enough sense to remain hidden in case it was an elaborate ruse, Pyrus walked out of his bush and towards the ice dragon. "Hey Connan. How's it hanging?"

"What? Who's there?" Connan writhed and twisted his body, causing the vine to slowly spin him around to see the speaker. As he slowly spun to face him, Pyrus noticed that Connan was missing the pink ribbon from around his neck. What had gotten to him first?

"Oh, it's you." Connan crossed his arms, glaring at Pyrus. "Everything is going just peachy as you can see."

"What happened to you?" Pyrus had to bit back another steam of laughter, knowing that Connan would not appreciate the humor of the situation at this time.

Connan snorted derisively. "As if you don't already know."

Pyrus frowned. "What are you talking about, neither me or Spyro set this up."

The vine slowly began winding back to the starting orientation and Connan turned away with it. "Why don't you ask the resident hunts-dragon. He is on your team after all."

Pyrus blinked. "You mean this was Zero's doing?"

"Of course!" Connan twisted back around to face Pyrus again. "Here I was, walking along, minding my own business when BAM!" Connan slapped two paws together and pointed at the vine. "This happened. A few minutes later, Zero comes walking out of the forest, cuts my ribbon and vanishes without saying so much as a word. It was pretty creepy actually."

"Well don't worry Connan," Pyrus stated. "Zero is pretty much acting under his own orders, so I had no part whatsoever in this."

"That's a huge comfort." Connan crossed his arms again. "Now would you mind cutting me down? I'm starting to get a little dizzy."

Pyrus nodded and stared up at the gently swinging vine. Taking a moment to confirm the shot's trajectory, he fired a single fireball into the vine. The vine smoked and sizzled for a few seconds before breaking with a loud snap. Connan plummeted several feet to slam head first into the ground. At this point, Pyrus couldn't contain his laughter anymore. Connan slowly got up, his feet still unsteady. "Come on, it's not that funny."

Pyrus's laughter slowly died out, but left him with a large grin on his face. "I don't know Connan, if that happened to me you would never let me hear the end of it."

"Aha!" Connan pointed a claw at Pyrus. "But don't you see that this was all part of our master plan! I deliberately sprang this trap, distracting you, while my companion retrieves your flag. It's game over, Pyrus."

"We already got Electra." Spyro said as he emerged from his hiding place to stand behind Connan.

"Oh. Well would you look at the time, I really must be going. Good luck to the both of you." Connan launched himself up into the air, still trailing the severed piece of vine behind him.

As Connan receded from view, Spyro turned to Pyrus. "What do think we should do now?"

"It seems that they evenly divided their team between offensive and defensive." Pyrus mused aloud as he paced the clearing. "Since both attackers have been eliminated, that means the only ones left are the defenders." Pyrus stopped and stared out to where the other team had last been seen traveling. "Spyro, I think it's time for us to go on the offensive."

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Grass bent under Pyrus' paws as he slithered through the underbrush. Ahead of him, Cynder stopped, staring straight at where he was crouched among the tall grasses. Pyrus held his breath and coiled his muscles in case she had actually spotted him. After a moment of scrutiny, Cynder yawned and resumed her patrol. Pyrus relaxed and patiently waited for Cynder to get a good distance away before taking the next, slow step.

It hadn't been terribly difficult to find the enemy base. The other team had set their flag in the middle of a small grove of trees surrounded in all directions by open fields. It gave Cynder and Gaia excellent lines of sight on all possible methods of approach. Pyrus was actually a little envious. It was simple to defend the flag, a blue cloth hanging on a low tree branch, from attack. But the plan didn't require them to go after the flag.

The girls would expect someone to go directly for the flag, but not someone specifically targeting them. After all, all Pyrus and Spyro needed to do was eliminate both of the guards to win. Which was why they were quietly stalking up to points where they could easily ambush both of them simultaneously.

Pyrus came to another stop as Gaia moved past, humming happily to herself. Both dragonesses were not as alert as they had been an hour ago, allowing Spyro and Pyrus to get this close undetected. Pyrus actually wasn't sure where Spyro was, only that he was off somewhere off to his left. He hoped Spyro would get into position without incident.

Looking around, Pyrus decided that this was as close as he could get without being spotted. He hunkered down, deciding to wait another ten minutes to let Spyro get in position. The whole plan hinged on being able to simultaneously eliminate both the guards at once. They could not afford a single slip up.

Staring on straight forward through the glade, Pyrus thought he saw some of the grasses rustle. There was no breeze. Pyrus frowned, eyes fixed on the same spot. There was no way Spyro had gotten around the glade that fast without detection. As Pyrus continued to watch the same spot, a single dragon slinked out of the grass, entering the sparse cover of the grove.

It was Zero, making a beeline towards the flag. Pyrus wanted to shout or motion for Zero to go back before he blew all of their covers. But he couldn't, not without giving his own position away. Cynder passed in front of him again, thankfully not glancing toward the interior of the glade. Pyrus almost growled in frustration. Zero was going to ruin their carefully laid plan.

A startled shout issued from the other side and Zero broke into a run. Cynder turned, opening her mouth to send an elemental attack at the white dragon. Pyrus leap up and Cynder switched targets, aiming squarely at him. Before she could open fire, a sizzling lightning bolt flashed just over her head as Spyro sprang from hiding behind her. Cynder leaped back, placing herself so that she could see both her foes at once. Spyro made brief eye contact with Pyrus, imparting a silent nod. It was time to switch to the backup plan.

The backup basically involved one of them making a mad dash for the flag while the other bought them as much time as possible. Pyrus turned, leaving Spyro to deal with Cynder as he sped into the trees. Just ahead of him, he could see Gaia and Zero exchanging blows, appearing almost evenly matched. But to his dismay, Gaia knocked Zero back with an earth blast, sending him crashing into one of the trees and sending a shower of needles raining down below.

Pyrus lowered his head, redoubling his efforts. He was sure that in a few more seconds, Gaia would dispatch the rouge dragon and focus her full attention on him. If he didn't have the flag and get off the ground before then...

Pyrus looked up, the flag looming directly in front of him. All he had to do was reach up and grab it. As Pyrus extended his jaws, an earth pillar burst up directly under the flag. The branch it was secured to snapped with a sharp crack and spun off in a different direction.

Pyrus dug his claws into the ground, tracking the twirling branch with both eyes. He knew exactly where it was going and he knew exactly when to leap and grab it. Adrenaline ran through every fiber of his being, highlighting every single feature of the landscape. This is what he was talking about, this was what he wanted. To be in the moment, when he, and only he, could make the difference that would save the day. He wondered if Spyro felt like this often. If so, why would anyone want to stop living this way?

As Pyrus' feet left the ground, the stick suspended motionless in front of him, an unseen force slammed into his side. Pyrus felt himself being wrenched away, helplessly watching as the stick tumbled out of his reach. He slammed into the ground, his attacker coming out on top.

No! He was too close to let this happen! Desperately, he began heating his body up to the extreme degree, hoping to knock his assailant off in one explosive blast. But then, he heard a distinctive 'snick' and felt the ribbon drop away from his neck. He let his head drop back down, knowing that fighting on would be pointless. He had been so close.

Cynder stepped back, allowing Pyrus to get up and survey the results of the failed attack. A short ways away, Zero was stumbling to his feet, the ribbon having been neatly sliced away from his neck as well. Spyro was sitting at the edge of the glade, looking sheepish at his quick humiliation at the hands of Cynder. A wind ripped through the suddenly still glade as Sparx, Electra, Connan and the guardians swept down from where they must have watched the short but decisive fight unfold. Terrador looked pleased with the results. "Excellent showing, all of you. We have gems here if you need them. I dare say the ribbon system will work out quite well in the future."

As the dragons brushed themselves off and healed themselves of any superficial wounds, Pyrus stormed over to where Zero was standing. "You! What the hell were you doing!? We had it all worked out until you showed up."

"I was attempting to capture that flag." Zero raised a single eyebrow. "I was under the impression that that was the main objective."

"Yeah, it is, but we still would have won if we defeated Gaia and Cynder." Pyrus was mad. They had lost not through any fault of his or Spyro's but because Zero had not bothered to agree to a team plan.

"Why waste energy fighting and subduing two highly skilled opponents when it would be much easier just to evade them?" Zero was as calm and collected as before, betraying no hint of outward emotion.

Pyrus shook his head. "That doesn't matter, it was still the plan we decided to run with. And don't tell me yours had even the slightest chance of succeeding."

"If not for a low-flying lark, it would have." Zero blinked docilely, seeming bored with the proceedings. "My way was the more efficient of the two and had a higher chance of success."

Pyrus growled threateningly. "If you took a moment to consider that had you cooperated with us, we would have had just as high a chance?" It would have been three against two, an easy win! So how much more 'efficient' did your plan turn out to be, huh?"

"Don't presume to lecture me." Zero stood up, his eyes taking on a hard edge. "If you even half-way understood the situation, you would have seen that my plan was both simpler and avoided a lot of extra effort. In real combat, both are highly desired traits for a plan to posses."

Pyrus's wings flared in frustration. "I think you're missing the point. I'm not disagreeing with your plan. Indeed, me and Spyro talked at length as to which one to use. But the sole reason that both plans failed was that you refused to work with us."

Zero's eyes briefly flashed and his tail swept across the ground. "How am I expected to work with someone who obviously can't determine that.."

"Enough with your damned speeches about efficiency!" Pyrus shouted. "Look, I don't know what's up with you, but you don't live in a cave anymore. You have to suck up that stubborn pride of yours or whatever it is and try to work with us. Because if I keep losing because of you, I guarantee that our next fight is going to be a lot more painful."

The two dragons stood nose to nose, daring the other to back down. The rest of the dragons, guardians included, silently watched the confrontation unfold, afraid to speak up. Pyrus usually managed to keep his temper in check and none of them had ever seen Zero produce such a large emotional response before now. They could only watch and hope that it wouldn't turn violent.

Then, Zero closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let it out slowly, relaxing his tense muscles in the process. When he opened his eyes again, they were just as devoid of any emotion as before. Sparing one last look at Pyrus, Zero turned and calmly walked out of the glade. The assembled dragons watched as he slowly made his way across the field until he disappeared into the trees on the other side.

"Should someone go after him?" Electra asked, biting her lip.

Pyrus snorted and returned his wings to their folded state. "Why bother, it's not like he'll accept any help from any of us."

In a hushed tone, Cyril addressed Terrador. "Do you want me to go and ensure he doesn't get into any trouble?"

Terrador shook his head. "No Cyril, I think not. There are some things we can't teach and that these dragons will have to figure out for themselves. He'll be back, I'm sure of it."

Sparx gave a low whistle. "Gee, if that's his slightly annoyed, then remind me never to be in the same room when he loses it."

Spyro nodded. "I think you may be right Sparx. I can't for the life of me figure out why he is always so antisocial."

"Well we only really can know about others from what they say." Cynder glanced furtively back at Spyro. "And Zero never says much of anything."

"So Zero can't work in a team, can we just get a move on already? I'm starving." Connan stretched his wings, treading the ground impatiently.

"Oh, I don't know Connan," Spyro said, winking. "I'd say he can still work a pretty good trap, don't you agree?"

Gaia perked up. "Is that why our offensive plan didn't work? I was beginning to wonder what was taking so long."

"Nope, we are not discussing that, right Spyro?" Connan wrapped a fore-leg around Spyro's shoulder, acting as friendly as possible.

Spyro grinned. "I know, let's hold a vote. All who want to hear the story, raise a wing." Three wings, and Sparx's hand, promptly rose into the air. "All opposed?" Connan's one wing tentatively reached out. "Motion carried. It'll be a good way to pass the time on the way back."

The convoy of dragons were all set to leave in a few minuets, after Terrador gave them a talk on what strategies did and didn't work. All the dragons were eager to leave, either because of their rumbling stomachs or to finally hear what happened to Connan. All except for one dragon.

Electra was staring at where Zero had disappeared, attempting to make up her mind. She really should go talk to him, to make sure he was alright. She blinked as Gaia prodded her in a bid to grab her attention. "Electra, did you hear me? We're leaving. You coming?"

"Oh? Yes, of course." Electra faced the rest of the dragons and prepared to take off. After they were airborne, she took one last look at the glade, knowing that this was her last chance. She should go out, find him and say...

Who was she kidding, all she would probably do was stand there silently while he stared at her. How awkward would that be? With a sigh, she turned back to watch Spyro, was already animatedly telling the story of how Connan got snared.

The sun was setting in a few hours, and she desperately hoped Zero made his way back before then. To tell the truth, she was a little worried for him.

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Nighttime fell over the temple, bringing an end to the days activities. Electra was truly concerned now. Zero had failed to show up for the evening meal and no one she had bashfully spoken to had seen him come in. No one else seemed to be concerned, but Electra knew better. Zero was never late to anything, much less a meal.

After bidding the boys goodnight, Electra and Cynder made their way down the girl's dormitory corridor. Gaia had already turned in, claiming to want to get a good night's sleep after the days activities. But to Electra's relief, she was not feeling nearly as reserved as usual in the sole presence of Cynder.

"Something bothering you Electra?" Cynder asked, noticing how Electra was staring out at every single window they came to.

"Nothing, it's just that Zero hasn't come back yet." Electra stopped at the next window, trying to determine if any of the early stars appearing in the sky were actually a white dragon. They weren't. "I mean, he could have gotten lost or something."

"I doubt that." Cynder said, joining her by the window. "But he definitely should have come back by now. Why are you so worried anyways?"

Electra didn't meet her gaze. "Well, I think he seems to be a little bit like me, not usually talking to others much." Cynder nodded, deciding it would be best not to point out that it was probably for a very different reason. "I guess I also feel bad for not taking time to get to know him a little better."

"On that I think you have a good point." Cynder let out a small breath. "None of us every really tried to talk to him. And now, none of us really mind that he's gone, except for you. That just seems... so uncaring when I think about it. And I'm suppose to be the one who should be trying to be nice to everyone, especially after all I've done."

"Tell you what," Cynder placed a consoling paw on Electra's back. "When he gets back, how about you and me both start eating lunch at his table. See if we can't learn a bit more about him. What do you say?"

Electra looked strangely apprehensive. "I..I...I don't know, I think he wouldn't like us intruding on his privacy like that."

"Come on, it can't be that bad." Cynder gave a reassuring grin. "I'll be there too, so at very least we could talk in peace."

Electra remained silent, tapping her claws against the marble windowsill. Finally, she gave a tight lipped nod. "Alright, I'll do it."

"That's the spirit. Goodnight Electra." Cynder turned and continued the final few feet to her room.

"Goodnight." Electra answered, but the door had already swung closed. Sighing, she made way to her own room, flopping down on the pillows with in. As she she lay there, a new pit of worry grew inside of her. Tomorrow, there would be no way out of it. She would have to go talk to Zero.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 - Missing in Action

The star studded canvas gazed down at the world below, illuminating the terrain with a wan light. The night was unusually still, the nocturnal creatures conspicuous only in their sudden absence. They didn't leave because the food source had run out, no, there was plenty to go around for all. They left because, above all else, they were afraid.

A multitude of dark shapes suddenly arose, screeching and swooping through the valleys and dales. Leathery wings mercilessly beat against the night air, propelling the nightmarish flock forward on the final leg of their long trip.

The airborne shadows stopped, and began to slowly circle the torchlit camp far below them. A single squadron of three broke off from the main pack and descended in a tight spiral towards the center of the camp, where a large tent stood flanked by several guards. As the black forms swooped down upon them, the guards all jumped up, becoming aware of the vile swarm above them for the first time. Teeth chattering nervously, they quickly surrounded the three that had landed, the steel weapons reflecting the orange light from the torches. The beasts snorted and shuffled together, not accustomed to such treatment. All was quiet except from the faint whispering of wings far above.

The tent flap flew open and Drakken stepped out, the one pale horn on his helmet towering above the assembly. As the apes watched, a small form slowly detached itself from the rest of the creatures. It fell to the ground in a quivering husk.

"And so the prodigal son returns." Drakken pushed his way through his guards to stand over the still shaking form. "And for your sake Blood Claw, I hope you found more than just these three for our purposes."

Taking several deep breathes to calm his uneasy stomach, Blood Claw slowly raised a hand to point skyward. Drakken stared up at the twisting cloud, appreciating how much they had managed to block out the pitiful starlight. "How many?"

"About three dozen I believe." With incredible effort, Blood Claw dragged himself to his feet and took a few uneasy steps. His one eye spun wildly in its socket, vainly attempting to adjust to being back on solid ground after two days of non-stop flying. "I'm sorry Lord Drakken, that is all I could find."

Drakken did not immediately reply, instead he continued to watch the overhead swarms for another few seconds. Finally, he looked down at the slightly smaller ape. "You have done well Blood Claw, under the circumstances. I hereby restore your former position to you, along with your malatrite armor. After all, I need my best commander ready to put my plan into action."

Blood Claw stood for a few moments, looking like it was taking every ounce of willpower not to vomit in the presence of the clan leader. Quickly regaining his senses, the ape dropped into a kneeling position. "Thank you, Lord Drakken. How may I best serve you?"

"Come inside, my loyal lieutenant. You need to be brought up to speed on current events." Drakken vanished back into the command tent, followed a few seconds later by Blood Claw.

One of the creatures standing outside the tent gave a low, bloodcurdling shriek and leap into the sky, leaving several long gorges in the dirt behind it. The other two followed and the squadron was immediately assimilated back into the swarm. After a few seconds, the swarm dispersed, sending small groups off to different corners of the mountain valley. They had been flying non-stop for the past two days and it was time to hunt.

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The dragons slowly filed into the training hall the very next day. Spyro yawned as he sat down next to Pyrus, who looked equally weary after yesterday's excursion. The two briefly made eye contact before both yawning again. For some unknown reason that was the bane of all young dragons, waking up this early never got any easier. After all, Connan's Dad had forced him to get up at the crack of dawn for the past three years and he looked seconds away from passing out.

As usual, Terrador presided over the assembly, nodding his approval as all the dragons took their allotted places. Suddenly, he frowned, his eyes scanning back over the upturned faces. "Where is Zero? Has anyone seen him this morning?"

Spyro glanced around the room, noticing for the first time that they numbered one less than usual. Everyone else was looking around as well, confirming that the white dragon was indeed no where in sight.

Terrador growled. Tardiness carried quite a sever penalty around the temple. "Spyro, would you kindly head to Zero's room and bring him here? The rest of you, fly laps around the room until we are all accounted for."

A collective moan rose up as all the dragons stood, stretching their wings out for what was surly going to be a demanding warm-up session. Pyrus in particular looked disgruntled at the prospect of having to do extra work because of Zero's lateness. After pausing a second to commiserate with the other students, Spyro hurried off, knowing that the sooner Zero was retrieved, the less of Terrador's grueling work-out the others would have to do.

Spyro trotted down the dormitory hallway, passing Pyrus's, Connan's and his own room to head further down towards Zero's room. Predictably, it was the one that was as far as possible from all the other occupied rooms. Stopping in front of the ornate door, Spyro politely knocked three times before dropping his paw.

He had to admit that it was a first for him, coming all the way down to where Zero slept. It had never been necessary in the past, as Zero was always very prompt when it came to waking up and Spyro had never had any reason to go to the dragon's room before. As far as Spyro could tell, Zero was always awake by the time Brigan woke the rest of them up. It was like clockwork almost.

After a few seconds of no response, Spyro knocked again, louder this time. Silence reined. Giving up the courteous approach, Spyro tried the door to find it, to his surprise, unlocked. He pulled it open, glancing inside for any vestige of the reclusive dragon.

The room was adorned much like his own, occupied only by an empty bookcase and a rumpled pile of pillows. But unlike his room, there was almost no indication that anyone actually lived in here. Zero's cloak, the only material item the dragon seemed to own, wasn't there, nor were any other personal possessions. As a matter of fact, the only sign of residence was a shallow indent on the pillows. Most notably, the room was devoid of any white dragons.

Shaking his head, Spyro stepped back out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. It appeared Zero had at long last decided to return to living alone in his cave. It didn't exactly come as a huge surprise to the others either when he related his findings a few minutes later.

"Good riddance." Pyrus shook his head as he tried to catch his breath from the warm-up. "It's not like his being here was doing us any favors."

"But he's all alone out there, without anyone else to help him." Electra looked around the circle, looking hurt at their display of apathy. "And how do we know he just didn't take a bad fall and is out there now, with a broken wing, just trying to get back?"

"Look, Electra," Gaia reached over placed a consoling paw on her friends shoulder. "I know you can be kind of a bleeding heart when it comes to this, but you have to see that this is the way Zero wants to live. I still don't know why he even came here in the first place if he hates social interaction so much."

Electra sighed and briefly looked over to Cynder. Cynder just gave a what-could-you-have-done shrugs before looking away again. As Terrador called the class to order again, Electra stared at the ground, consumed by her own thoughts. "Being alone and not talking to anyone is no way to live." She thought dejectedly. "I should know."

"Very well. Today, we will be starting out on some individual sessions. In particular, I would like you all to work on..." Terrador's voice voice droned on, marking the start of another very long day.

Thankfully, lunch was always there to alleviate some of the monotony. Electra sat quietly at one end of the table, picking at her food, while the rest of the dragons engaged in animated conversation. "...And look at it this way, now the teams will be even next time we do group activities." Pyrus paused in his rant to take another large bite of his drumstick.

"I don't know, I still feel kind of bad that he's gone." Gaia said. "I was kind of curious about where he originally came from and all. You can't learn to talk from spending your entire life in a cave after all."

Pyrus shrugged. "I highly doubt that he would have told you. Remember what happened last time you tried? What's the rest of you guy's thoughts on this?"

Spyro took a moment to think before responding. "Well I can't say that Zero was exactly what I'd call a friend. But we still shouldn't be celebrating that he left either."

Cynder and Connan nodded in agreement. Electra said nothing, continuing to stare down at her plate in total silence. Pyrus shook his head. "I still think things will be a lot smoother around here without him though." He muttered under his breath.

The dining room doors flew open and Cyril strode into the room. Making his way directly to their table, he stopped and stared straight at Pyrus. "Sorry to intrude Pyrus, but we require your help in sorting out a rather delicate matter."

The dragons exchanged curious glanced, each wondering why the guardians would need Pyrus' help. Connan chuckled. "What help would Pyrus be? He's anything but delicate."

Pyrus shot Connan a glare but immediately rose from his seat. "Sure, let me just put my plate away first."

Cyril nodded and patiently waited for Pyrus to come back. Once he did, the ice guardian set off a brisk pace and headed out the large wooden doors. Pyrus looked back over his shoulder to see the others still watching him with curious expressions. He could only shrug as the doors swung back close behind him.

Out in the corridor, Pyrus jogged to catch up with Cyril, who was plowing on ahead with all do haste. "So Master Cyril, what exactly is this all about?"

Cyril didn't even turn around. "A dreadful and horribly complicated incident that I want no part of whatsoever. We also sought to keep you out of it as well, but it appears that is now impossible to do." They arrived at the guardians quarters in short order, but Cyril held up a paw to prevent Pyrus from entering. "Now listen here Pyrus. My best advice is to keep your cool and not say anything you'll regret. We're on your side, so try not to worry too much. And above all, be careful to make sure that this doesn't blow even more out of proportion. Good luck in there, can't really say I envy you right now." And with that, the ice guardian departed, leaving Pyrus with more questions than he started with.

Knowing it was rude to keep the guardians waiting, Pyrus pushed open the doors and walked into the elegantly built chamber. Immediately in front of him was Terrador, standing a little more rigid than normal and in the midst of conversing with the other two adults in the room. One of the other dragons present in the room was another large earth dragon, standing almost even with Terrador and glowering at the guardian with a hooded expression. The other dragon was a light blue ice dragoness, standing a full head shorter than her companion. The thing that struck Pyrus the most about this dragon was the amount of jewelry that adorned her figure. That and the fact that she somehow looked vaguely familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen her before.

They all turned as the doors slammed shut behind him and the dragoness immediately pointed an accusing talon at him. "There he is, that's the dragon that assaulted our daughter. Terrador, I demand that he be thrown in the dungeons at once."

Pyrus cringed as Terrador stomped a paw down in agitation. "We've been over this, Mrs. Develia. The guardians do not throw dragons in jail just because one of Warfang's prominent citizens demands it. They have to be convicted through the due process of a trail."

"Then organize a bloody trial!" The other dragon spoke, his voice low and husky. "We have time to spare after all."

Terrador took another deep breath and Pyrus was beginning to understand why Cyril seemed so eager not to be involved in this. "We have been over this as well. There is not enough of a case to bring against young Pyrus here, so any trial would be an utter waste of everyone's time. Assault cases require numerous verbal or physical attacks without any provocation and by all accounts, Pyrus was well justified in his actions."

The dragoness was clearly outraged now and was staring a Terrador with a disbelieving expression. "So you're just going to let a criminal walk off scot-free? That's a travesty of justice, that is."

"As would throwing an innocent dragon in jail and I intend to commit neither." Terrador growled, evidently having a hard time controlling his emotions. "I granted your request for an audience to put this incident to rest, not to throw one of my own students in the dungeons. Now, Pyrus, would you please tell us what happened when you met Crystal Develia in that diner a few days ago? I would like to hear your take on it."

Pyrus cowered under the withering stares from Crystal's parents before slowly launching into a retelling of the shouting match that had occurred. He remembered Cyril's words of advice and followed them as best he could, not leaving out any small detail. He faltered in some places where he could not remember the exact lines of dialogue, but proceed to the full extent of his memory of the incident. As soon as he finished, he faced a barrage of questions from both parents, each looking to sink holes in his story. Mrs. Develia seemed delighted when she learned that he and Crystal had met, and fought, prior to the incident in question. "Multiple instances of physical or verbal abuse, Terrador? I dare say that we have evidence of that, now don't we?" She said, a falsely sweet grin twisting her features.

Before Pyrus could even begin to respond, Terrador came to his defense. "It seems that the previous incident was a pure accident, and one that Pyrus apologized for multiple times. I also fail to see its relevance to the issue you are bringing up right now."

"Now see here Terrador." Mr. Develia cut in, his expression beginning to match his wife's. "I can be a very reasonable dragon, but it appears that you are deliberately manipulating the facts to keep your student from his rightfully deserved punishment. Do I have to remind you that this temple stands on land that we own and exists only with our permission?"

"You sold this land to the city and were fairly compensated." Terrador smoothly interjected. "You lost any legal rights when you agreed to sell and have no say in what goes on here at the temple. I would also go so far as to remind you that it is very unwise to threaten the guardians. I suggest you tread a little bit more carefully, Mr. Develia."

The male dragon bristled with indignation before reluctantly backing down. On the other hand, his wife seemed utterly undeterred by the increasingly hostile situation. "I heartily disagree with your logic Terrador. You are prepared to take this delinquent's word over my own daughter's? It's degrading and I believe that we certainly deserve better."

"Seeing as Pyrus is the only one here to defend his word, yes, I do. I have to note that your daughter is missing from the proceedings and therefore, her story can't really be taken seriously unless she happened to be here to tell us in her own words. That's the way the system works."

Mrs. Develia looked scandalized. "Why of course my sweet Crystal isn't here! She's locked herself in her room for the past two days, all because of what he did." She jabbed an angry claw at Pyrus. "And if that isn't damage enough for an assault case, then I don't know what is."

"I agree." Mr. Develia stepped forward to back up his wife. "And you must look at the big picture Terrador. Who knows how many other girls he has harassed? It would be much safer to place him in jail rather than risk this happening again."

"Hey! I do not-" Pyrus was abruptly cut off as the ground beneath him trembled unexpectedly. He glanced up at Terrador, who gave an almost imperceptible shake of the head. Pyrus swallowed the rest of the sentence and lowered his head, belatedly realizing that he had almost lost his temper. That would not have made his case look any better.

Mrs. Develia sniffed and stuck her nose up in the air. "See Terrador, he doesn't even have proper manners. What could possibly make his word carry more weight than ours?"

Terrador grinned and Pyrus could almost feel the tides shift in their favor. "But it's not just his word. Pyrus, would you go fetch that scroll sitting on the table over there? Volteer thought that it would come in use at some point, and I think now is best."

Pyrus hesitated for a moment before hurrying to obey Terrador's wishes. As he made his way over to the afore mentioned table, he could feel two pairs of eyes boring into the back of his head, judging every single move he made. Gaia wasn't kidding when she said that he had made enemies of the family. Retrieving the tightly rolled scroll, he dutifully trotted back over to Terrador, making sure to give the shallow pool in the center of the room a wide berth. When he returned, he deposited the parchment in the earth guardian's massive paw.

Terrador cut the single string holding the paper in place and unfurled it with a flourish. Stretching his neck to get a peak, Pyrus saw that the parchment contained a list of names, nearly jotted down in Volteer's handwriting. Terrador turned the paper around, showing it to the Develias. "This is a list the other guardians collected earlier today when they visited the diner. All of the citizens on this list agree with Pyrus' story and that his actions were well justified by virtue of defending himself and the butcher. So it's not really Crystal's word against Pyrus's, but her's against a group of twenty or so Warfang citizens. It's the main reason I wish to avoid a trial, because anyone can easily see where all the available evidence is pointing. So unless you have some significant proof to counter this, there is no trial to be had."

Mrs. Develia looked so outraged, Pyrus was surprised steam wasn't billowing out of her nostrils. Finally, she gave an exacerbated cry and turned away. "Let's just go Dear. I've had enough of trying to win against an opponent who delights in cheating right in front of you. And you..." She whirled around pointing at Pyrus again. "If you so ever set eyes on my daughter again, I will ensure that no amount of guardian interference will keep me from prosecuting you to the full extent of the law. Consider that a promise." And with that, she stormed out, the metallic clinking of her many jewels slowly getting fainter as the doors closed behind her.

Mr. Develia lingered a few more seconds to stare Terrador straight in the eye, a feat few could lay claim to. "You think that you are above everything else, floating high up here in your temple. That the law or the wishes of the public don't factor into what happens up here. But make no mistake, I will take the steps necessary to rein the lot of you in. The most powerful dragon in the city should not be a puppet of the guardians. I'll be seeing you again soon, Terrador."

Mr. Develia turned and left, barging out the doors in pursuit of his wife. Neither Pyrus or Terrador spoke a word until the carved wooden doors fell back into place, shutting out the dying footsteps of the couple. Pyrus finally managed to find his voice. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble, Master Terrador. I just get carried away some times."

"You should never be sorry for standing up for yourself or others Pyrus." Terrador sighed and sat back down, his expression relieved. "It's not really your fault anyway, they've been looking for an excuse to get up here for days. Apparently they seem to think that we shouldn't be allowed to operate without harsh supervision by 'morally sound citizens'. "

It took Pyrus a few moments to understand the implications of Terrador's words. "They want control of the temple, don't they?"

Terrador nodded gravely. "Their main argument is the fact that Spyro shouldn't be beholden to one power in the city. They keep citing Malefor as an example. The problem is that they have power where it counts."

"Such as the population down below?" Pyrus asked.

A wry grin stretched across Terrador's face. "Not as much as they would like you to believe. From what Volteer tells me, there was no shortage of volunteers offering to back up your story, including several that weren't even there to witness it. The public is a little restless over our seeming superiority over the rest of the city, but not to the point where they'll trust control to a bunch of aristocrats."

"But you needn't concern yourself on these matters." Terrador stood again, motioning to the door. "Rest assured that myself and the other guardians will do all in our power to retain the temple's sovereignty. Lunch break ought to be over soon and I expect the others to be headed back to the training room shortly. Thank you for your assistance."

Noticing the curt dismissal, Pyrus quickly stood and left, making his way back outside the guardian's quarters. Once outside, Pyrus stopped a moment to collect his thoughts. It had taken all of his self control to keep from speaking out back there. His rebellious temper could sometimes be advantageous, but other times it only served to land him in trouble. Back at Stone Tooth while he was growing up, a smart mouth would usually warrant a sharp cuff and a disapproving glare. But here, losing his cool in front of the wrong people could be disastrous for the whole temple.

A loud clang started him out of his revelry, reminding him that he had other places to be. He balled up his paw into a tight fist, storing the pent up emotions for later. As he resumed his trip back to the training hall, he mentally shifted Crystal's name into the surprisingly large pile of girls he would never have a shot with. After all, there was no way he would ever talk to her again, not without being thrown in prison, right?

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Several days had passed since the dreadwings arrived at the Shadow Claw camp. Many of the apes were restless, not trusting the savage, bat-like creatures. It never bothered Drakken though. They were merely tools, and they served their purpose well. And if they ceased to be of use to him, they would be eliminated, just like so many other stepping-stones.

Drakken sat on the improvised stone throne inside the command tent, musing over his next move. A small fire cracked unattended in the center of the space, the smoke rising up to escape out of a small vent at the peak of the tent. None of the usual servants were present, he had dismissed them for the time being. He needed to think without any distraction.

Everything he had done, every step he had taken along his path to vengeance now rested solely on an element completely out of his control. If it failed to produce the desired response, all his hard work could be for nothing. And if the apes currently out there in the forest deviated one inch from his orders, then who knew when the next opportunity would arise.

The entrance flap was meekly pushed aside to reveal a shivering Blood Claw, soaked head to toes in crystal clear water. After bowing to his overlord, Blood Claw scampered inside and warmed his paws over the fire, desperately trying to regain body heat. Drakken narrowed his eyes. It was overcast, but certainly not raining. Something had gone wrong. "Blood Claw, report. Did everything go according to plan?"

Blood Claw quaked, although this time it was purely out of fear. "N-n-not exactly my Lord. We ch-ch-chased the spy like you told us, but when we reached the river, some of the archers got a little too enthusiastic. They shot him and he went in the water. H-he could be dead for all we know."

Drakken knitted his fingers together carefully, staring at his lieutenant with a darker expression. "What do you mean by could be?"

"We haven't found the body yet." Blood Claw looked up with a pleading expression. "We don't know if the injury was bad enough for him to swim away or not. The rest of the team is scouring the river as we speak. But we did manage to find this." Blood Claw removed a dripping price of fabric from his belt and tossed it toward Drakken. It landed at his feet with a wet plop.

Drakken stooped down and picked up the garment. It was a cloak, or at least what was left of one. Drakken had never seen anything so worn, it was almost coming apart at the seams. Two or three small holes punctured the fabric and small dark stains of the wearer's blood still were present at the sites. Just inside the hood, there was a small Z sewn in gold thread, identifying the owner of the article of clothing. The Z was created with a small border, the sort of loving touch that made something truly memorable. The effect was completely lost on the stone hearted ape.

With a single motion, Drakken hurled the cloak into the fire, sending a storm of sparks skyward. The cloak sat steaming for a few seconds before bursting into flame rather anticlimactically. Drakken's rage next turned to the cowering Blood Claw. "What did I say? I said that when someone eventually comes poking around up here, I would want them scared, but alive and free to report back to Warfang! Now, they'll send search parties, and then whole armies. Do you have any idea how many weeks of planning you just wasted?"

Blood Claw stammered, trying to come up with a suitable excuse. "But Lord Drakken, he could have survived! He was still kicking when he went in and no body means that he could have gotten out further down stream!"

"Silence!" Drakken stalked back over to his throne, sitting down to stare at the smoldering remains of the intruder's cloak. After a few moments of brooding, he spoke again. "Continue searching for a body. And have the archers who fired go without rations for three days plus twenty lashes each. It is unfortunate that I can't afford to have any one else killed at the moment."

Blood Claw stood and bowed, eager to carry out the clan master's orders. "And what do we do about the main plan sir?"

"We wait." Drakken replied. "We wait to see if anyone else cares enough to come calling after the spy. The dreadwings will alert us if the bait is taken. Have the troops standing by, I want them ready at a moment's notice."

Blood Claw departed without another word, moving to execute the new orders. Drakken watched the fire burn and wither, the cloak quickly becoming nothing more than a pile of ash. A small smile twitched at the corner of his lips. "Let's see if the great purple dragon still comes out to play, shall we?"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - Preemptive Strike

"And you should have seen the look on Spyro's face when he smashed into that rock wall of yours Gaia! Priceless!" Connan cracked up again, unable to contain his laughter over the incident. All the other dragons laughed as well, but Spyro groaned and let his head hit the table top with a dull thud. It was going to be a long night.

It was about three days after Zero left and not a single scale of the white dragon had been spotted. They mentioned him less and less until he ceased to be a topic of conversation all together. The only one who really seemed affected by his departure was Electra, who became even more withdrawn than usual. Still, Spyro had to admit that everything had been running a lot smoother around the temple without Zero around.

The same couldn't be said for the rest of the world. Grublin attacks had increased in both frequency and intensity on the surrounding countryside, leveling many villages. They hadn't dare assault Warfang directly, but new refugees were arriving daily, another grin reminder that the war was not quite over. Things had gotten so desperate that two Warfang divisions, one led by Volteer and the other by Cyril, had departed the city in an effort to restore order and finally put the renegade bands down for good. They hadn't returned yet, but Terrador had assured the young dragons that all was well and that they would be back in a week's time, with the objective hopefully accomplished.

The increasing conflict manifested itself in the training, which had slowly been intensifing as the guardians were constantly pitting the dragons against each other to improve their skills. Just that morning, they had gone back out into the woods to have another capture the flag match, girls against guys. To Spyro's great disappointment, his team had been repulsed when they made their move for the other flag. This eventually lead to their downfall, with Spyro losing to Cynder a second time. But the truth was, he could never go too hard on her, he just couldn't.

"Of course, that wouldn't even begin to compare to the time Pyrus thought he could just run through one of Electra's energy shields." Connan leaned back precariously on the bench, flashing a grin over to where Pyrus sat.

Pyrus' eyes sparked and he took a deep breath, preparing to defend himself. But before he could, Gaia jumped up, staring out of one of the high windows. "Oh no, I'm going to be late for my date! I gotta run!"

Connan's grin slowly faded from his face. "But, wouldn't you rather stay here with me... I mean us?"

Gaia shook her head sadly. "I would love to, but I don't want to leave Malrick waiting. See you all tomorrow."

Connan watched as Gaia left through the stout wooden doors, all traces of merriment gone from his features. Pyrus was quick to intervene. "Her loss, right buddy? Hey, what say we head down to the city arena and catch a few sparing matches before curfew. Sound good?"

Connan's attitude brightened considerably at the suggestion. "Alright, let's do it. Any of you guys want to come with?"

"What?" Electra looked up from where she had been absentmindedly carving a gouge in the table with one of her claws. "Oh. No thank you, I'll just stay up here if that's alright."

Spyro and Cynder also politely declined, each inwardly shuddering at the idea of what the public would do if either of them were spotted outside the temple in such a crowded venue. Spyro's vision involved being smothered by hordes of adoring fans, while Cynder's was decidedly darker in nature.

Connan shrugged while he and Pyrus got up from the table to head outside, conversing casually as they exited the mostly empty dining hall. A minute later, Electra mumbled something about going off to bed and quietly excused herself.

"So I guess it's just you and me, right Spyro?" Spyro checked around the now deserted dining hall to see that Cynder and himself were indeed the only dragons in the room.

Spyro realized with a jolt that Cynder was staring at him, expecting an answer. "Oh, um yeah, so it is." Spyro forced out, his mind somehow reduced to the processing power of a gnat's. They sat in silence, both staring awkwardly at the floor. Spyro finally worked up the courage to speak again. "So, do you want to go for a walk with me? Just around the temple?"

Cynder looked up and smiled. "Sure, I would like that." They both stood up from the table and left the hall, Spyro holding the door open for Cynder on the way out. Cynder couldn't help but blush at the courteous action and quickly looked away, least her slightly red cheeks give her away. Thankfully, Spyro didn't notice anything and quietly followed Cynder out into the corridor.

"We haven't really talked to much lately, have we?" Cynder asked, striking up a conversation as the two dragons began walking the halls.

Spyro shook his head. "You're right, I guess we've been busy dealing with training and everything else." After a few moments of silence, Spyro spoke again. "So, how's everything going with you?"

Cynder laughed. "That's a pretty broad topic Spyro. Still, I love it here. I've never really had any friends before now."

"I know what you mean." Spyro said as they rounded a corner. "Sparx is the only person that I really considered a friend before any of this happened. And now we have our own little circle."

Cynder's green eyes stared back into his for a blissful moment before she turned back around. Spyro rifled around in his head for something, anything to continue the conversation. As he thought, a question popped into his head, one that had been bothering him for the past few days. "Hey Cynder, do you know why Connan hasn't been acting himself lately by any chance? He seems more depressed than usual."

Cynder looked back at him again, her stare incredulous. "Wait, are you telling me that you haven't been able to figure it out?" She rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. "Boys."

Spyro was quite taken aback. "Huh? What do you mean figure out? What's going on?"

The hallway they were in now was bordered on one side by a series of high, stone arches that let in the light from the newly risen moon. Cynder stopped in one of the bright pillars of light and faced him again, her scales shimmering in the glow. "You really don't know? I thought it was kind of obvious personally."

Spyro halted as well, coming to rest in one of the dark shadows of the arches. "No. Why?"

Cynder let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, I'll make this simple. Connan has a crush on Gaia. Got it?" Her tone was that of a tired mother explaining a painfully obvious point to her hatchling.

Spyro looked bewildered. "Really?" He took a moment to think about it and saw that it now made perfect sense. So that was why Connan always looked so down when ever Malrick was mentioned.

"Please don't tell me your this clueless with all relationships." Cynder had to bite her cheek to prevent a wide grin from spreading across her face as she watched Spyro floundered about for an answer.

Spyro glanced out the archway, where the moon hung over the dark landscape below. "Well, truth is that I never really had a relationship like that, so I guess I sort of am."

Cynder kept her expression controlled, even as her heart began to increase in rhythm. "Have you ever wished that you did?"

"I suppose." Spyro fidgeted nervously and looked away. "Waiting for the right person I guess."

Cynder was about to blurt out what she was thinking, but held her tongue. "No, I shouldn't force myself in him." She thought, her mood melancholy. "He said he's waiting for the right person, which probably means that he doesn't want me after all."

"Why can't I just say it?" Spyro mentally sighed at his own ineptitude. "Even if she doesn't feel the same, it would feel good just to get it out in the open."

Both dragons stood silently in the corridor, not saying a word. Their cheeks were both tinged red and if either had managed to look up from the floor, they would have immediately noticed the other's blush. After what seemed like an eternity, Spyro broke the silence. "Hey, Cynder?"

"Yes Spyro?" Cynder replied, her heart beating frantically in her chest.

"What's that over there?" Cynder felt her heart drop firmly back into place. Who was she kidding, of course Spyro wouldn't ask her who she had her eye on. It was too much to hope for after the life she had lead. Mentally resigning herself to rejection, she glanced over her shoulder to see what Spyro was pointing at.

Her disappointment was immediately replaced by curiosity as she saw what had grabbed Spyro's attention. Several feet away, framed in one of the moon beams, there was a dark stain on the marble floor. Before she could ask any queries as to what it was, Spyro walked around her, their sides briefly coming into contact. Pushing aside any thoughts of romance for the moment, Cynder followed Spyro to where he was dipping a claw into the dark, viscous fluid. The liquid clung to his claw as he drew away, forming a large black drop that slowly fell back to the floor.

It was blood.

Looking further down the corridor. Cynder could now see more blotches every few feet or so, marking a path down the middle of the hall. Meeting Spyro's eyes, she exchanged a brief nod and they melted into the shadows. Cynder focused on controlling her breathing as they crept forward stealthily, avoiding the moonlight. Something was amiss in the temple, and they had to find out what before anyone else was hurt.

The blood trial slowly led them deeper into the temple, the empty halls now dead calm. As they padded ahead, Cynder began to notice a pattern. The blood would appear about every two or three feet, indicating that it was likely someone who was limping with a bad leg wound. That meant that if it was friendly, then it shouldn't be that hard to heal. And if it was hostile, then it shouldn't be that hard to kill.

Cynder was vaguely aware that they were approaching the guardian's quarters, of which Terrador was currently the sole inhabitant, when they heard voices echoing back to them. Spyro glanced back over to Cynder, silently communicating a request. Cynder nodded and drew from her elemental energy reserve. The shadows around her and Spyro intensified, becoming blacker than a starless night before fading back into the void. To any casual observer, it would appear that the pair had vanished into thin air, when really, they were standing in the exact same place. Cynder let out a soft breath and nodded back to Spyro, remembering at the last second that he could not see her.

Allowing herself a small grin, she slinked forward until she felt herself bump shoulders against the other invisible entity. Cynder felt her cheeks flush at the close proximity to Spyro and desperately hoped he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Sticking together, the two dragons carefully peeked around the final corner.

"...And as I already told you, no one gets let into the guardians quarters after dark, especially any old dragon right off the street." The speaker was one of the mole guards assigned to the temple, the only one currently on duty in the guardian's quarters. He stood crouched, spear pointed squarely at the chest of the other figure present, baring the way through the massive oak doors. As Cynder flicked her attention to the other stranger, she had to suppress a small gasp of surprise.

"I told you, this is important." Zero said, his right forepaw firmly clasped around his left shoulder. A few drops of blood leaked out in between his fingers, dripping down to pool at his feet. Mud caked his legs and small sets of scratches covered the rest of his body. Overall, the white dragon looked much worse for wear than when Cynder had last laid eyes on him.

"If you're looking for a hospital, I suggest you try down in the city first instead of barging into the guardian's quarters unannounced." The mole stood his ground, warily eyeing the disheveled dragon.

"I am fine." Zero said, his tone as level as ever. "But I need to see the guardians. Would you at least send for them?"

The mole snorted. "Like hell you're fine. You're getting blood all over the floor. That's cause enough for me to evict you right this instant."

Zero paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "If I am not allowed to see the guardians, then may I inquire as to where the purple dragon currently is?"

The mole frowned and readjusted his grip on his spear. "Now why would I tell you that? I don't even know where the legendary Spyro is, he could be in the dining hall, his quarters, or-"

"Right here." Spyro finished, stepping forward as Cynder dispelled the shadow cloak. The mole jumped at least a foot, dropping his spear with a curse. Zero meanwhile, limped around to face the two, almost as if he had expected them to be there the whole time.

"Spyro, Cynder. Well met." Zero's paw involuntarily twitched and a few more drops of blood rolled down his leg.

Cynder stared at the white dragon suspiciously. "Where have you been and why are you injured? Care to enlighten us?"

"If possible," Zero glanced back at the mole guard, who was hesitantly looking between the two groups. "I would prefer to not have to explain myself twice."

The mole stared for a few seconds before looking over to Spyro. Spyro suddenly understood that the decision rested solely on his word. The fact that he now unwittingly wielded so much influence unnerved him. He nodded to the guard, who gulped nervously before disappearing into the guardian's inner sanctum. While they waited, Cynder tried to pry more information out of the stubborn dragon, but to no avail. Zero remained as tight-lipped and unreadable as ever.

Finally, the doors opened up a crack and the mole slipped back out, spear pointing up at the ceiling. "Terrador has agreed to see you." The mole pulled the doors open the rest of the way, motioning inside. "And all I can say is that it really better be important. Terrador does not appreciate being roused before dawn."

Zero said nothing, not even a thank you to the guard. He merely hobbled his way inside, heavily favoring his right leg. Spyro and Cynder followed, each nodding their silent thanks to the mole as they went past.

It was dark inside the main chamber, the only light being from the occasional moonbeam or sputtering torch. As they crossed the threshold, another torch burst into life directly in front of them, temporarily blinding Cynder with the unexpected brightness. As soon as her eyes adjusted, she saw Terrador placing the torch in one of the many brackets lining the walls. When the large earth guardian turned back around to face them, his expression was one of irritation, with a little drowsiness mixed in on the side. "You are in a lot of trouble Zero. I hope for your sake that you have a viable explanation for your behavior." Terrador said as he set down one of the mole's simple fire-starters on one of the nearby tables.

Most any other dragon would have cowered under the disapproving stare, but Zero looked unintimidated. He simple placed his paw back on his bleeding shoulder and stared up at the guardian. "The same group of apes from our initial encounter have reorganized and are preparing to go on a war path through the countryside." Zero said briskly, cutting directly to the chase.

Cynder's eyes grew wide, even as Terrador's narrowed in suspicion. "And how exactly do you know this Zero? Even with all the lenience we have given you, I am beginning to question how you always seem to know about the movements of this ape clan."

Zero bowed his head respectfully, wobbling a little on his three legs. "I initially planned to return to my cave in the wilderness, but the apes had set up camp there. They appeared to somehow be forewarned of my arrival and I was forced to flee. As I was about to escape, some of the archers fired at me." Zero lifted his right paw from his shoulder, showing the bloodied palm to Terrador.

The silence stretched into minutes as Terrador scrutinized Zero, trying to discern if he was telling the truth or not. For the first time, Cynder was able to get a good look at Zero's wound. Dried blood crusted around the epicenter of the injury and the flesh itself didn't appear to have begun the lengthy process of repair yet, telling her that it had been receive no more than two days ago. The cut itself was small, but apparently ran deep for the amount of blood that was currently oozing out. It certainly looked like an arrow wound, supporting Zero's story. But there was no way any dragon could fly that far while suffering from that much blood loss.

"Zero, how come you didn't find a way to stop the bleeding? You couldn't have made it back to the temple without stanching the blood flow." Cynder asked, her gaze fixed on the dark red cut on Zero's shoulder.

Zero spared her a glance before looking back to Terrador. "I was lucky. There was a stash of red gems nearby that healed the worst of my injuries. But the supply was exhausted before I could fix my shoulder. Needless to say, I had applied a basic bandage before attempting the return trip. But it appears that I landed a little too hard upon my arrival here and reopened the scab."

Terrador sighed and walked over to one of the tables, retrieving a small sack that lay at one end. He made his way back over to the dragons and handed the bag to Zero. Zero opened the bag and immediately withdrew a sizable red gem. The gem quickly shrank and vanished as the energy transferred into Zero's body, repairing scales and knitting flesh back together. Terrador took a seat across from the dragons as Zero rotated his shoulder to check that everything was back in its proper place. "Tell us what you saw then Zero. Let's see if your story has any merit to it."

Zero proceeded to recount what he had observed in vivid detail, maintaining a brisk pace all the while. "It is apparent that these apes are far from crippled from the destruction of their base. They have leveled large swaths of the forest and used the timber to construct a wide array of large siege weapons. I also saw at least one ape in full malatrite armor, indicating that we have not destroyed all of their supply of the crystal. Finally, the leader that Pyrus reported as KIA is alive and leading the army once more."

Cynder stiffened, remembering her harsh treatment in the cave networks at Drakken's hands. Terrador, meanwhile, seemed somewhat intrigued and motioned for Zero to continue. "And about how many apes did you see there Zero?"

"It's difficult to say." Zero said blandly. "But I would estimate well over two hundred."

"How long do we have until they strike?" Spyro asked, reasserting his and Cynder's presence in the chamber.

"They almost appeared ready to depart when I was there two days ago." Zero railed off. "From a tactical standpoint, I would not be surprised if they are already on the move."

Terrador stood and began pacing the room. "This news could not have come at a worse time. Volteer and Cyril have taken most of our forces out into the countryside to deal with increased grublin attacks. Warfang only has a skeleton crew defending it. We simply no longer possess the resources to counter all of the various threats."

"What about us?" Terrador stopped and Zero turned around to look back at Spyro. "We've been through much worse, why not send us to do it?"

"Yeah, I could use a little payback." Cynder joined in. "And like Spyro said, we've been through worse already, so how bad could these apes be?"

Terrador looked reluctant to give in. "Never underestimate an enemy, that is a lesson I would have hoped you two would have learned by now. I can speak from experience when I saw that these apes are much better trained that any of our previous adversaries, Malefor exempted of course. You could be easily outnumbered by skilled, and deadly opponents."

"We can't just sit this out!" Cynder cried out beseechingly. "Zero, are there any settlements near the ape's camp?"

"There's a town just a few miles south." Zero replied. "That would certainly be their first target."

"Cynder's right." Spyro said defiantly. "We're the only ones who could get there in time."

Terrador stood, studying the dragons for a few seconds. Finally, he sighed and dropped his head. "Of course. You are both right. It is just that I don't want to lose either of you, especially so soon after Ignitus."

Cynder thought for a moment before a light bulb went off in her head. "What if the other students went with us? It would be less dangerous with more of us there to help."

Terrador looked like he was about to object, but then thought better of it. "I guess I really can't say no to that either. They've all seen their fair share of combat as well. Zero, would you be able to guild the group to this encampment?"

Zero bowed his head again. "Of course Master Terrador."

"It's settled then. You'll all leave early tomorrow morning. Now go and try to get some rest, I dare say you are going to need it." Terrador nodded towards the door and the other dragons stood up to leave. "Oh, and Zero..." Zero turned back around to regard the dragon with his bright blue eyes. "I would like to request you clean yourself off before tomorrow. A bath would do you good."

Zero nodded and exited through the large wooden doors. The three dragons walked along the dark halls of the temple once more, not one of them uttering a word. Eventually, they reached the fork in the road between the boys and girls dormitories. Spyro and Cynder stopped, while Zero plowed on past. "Goodnight." Cynder called after him as the white dragon passed them by. Zero didn't turn to respond and promptly disappeared around the corner.

Spyro could only shake his head. "Glad to see that he hasn't changed one bit. Would it kill him to at least be a little more polite?"

"Well maybe we should ask him about it." Cynder said thoughtfully. "I'm sure there's a good reason why he acts the way he does."

Spyro shrugged. "I guess. Goodnight Cynder."

For a second, Cynder considered asking Spyro a question pertaining to the conversation they were having before Zero showed up. But in the end, she dismissed the notion. Best they focus on the upcoming battle. "Goodnight Spyro."

The dragons went separate ways, retiring to their respective rooms. Neither knew what the next few days would bring, but they were more than ready to meet whatever challenges were thrown at them.

/~\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Electra jumped as a set of thunderous knocks awoke her from her restful slumber. After taking a moment to assure herself that nothing was wrong, she got up from her bed and stretched. As she finished her daily wake-up routine, she happened to glance outside the window to notice that it was even earlier than when they were usually woken up. The sun had not even begun its daily journey across the sky, although the far horizon was tinted with the first rays of the day. Why did they have to wake her up so early today anyway?

Yawning, she pushed open her door to head out into the hallway to see Cynder and Gaia doing the same. Terrador stood in the corridor, watching expectantly as the girls assembled themselves before him. Once he had there attention, his booming voice sounded out, as authoritative as ever. "Please make your way to the dining hall and grab a quick breakfast. Then meet us in the courtyard when you're ready. You have a lot to get done today."

Terrador departed, evidently heading over to wake the boys up. Gaia groaned out loud as they started making their way to the dining hall. "Great, I bet we're going to be doing stupid drills all day long, sunup to sundown. I guess that's what happens when Terrador is the only guardian left in charge."

"Oh, we're not doing drills." Cynder said cryptically. "It's a lot more important than that, trust me."

Gaia squinted at Cynder, curious as to all the mystery. "Wait a minute, you know what we're going to be doing, don't you."

"Yes." Cynder replied. "But I think it would be better to wait until Terrador tells us the specifics."

"Oh, you're cruel." Gaia shook her head and fell into step next to Electra. "Leaving poor Electra and me in the dark like that." Gaia face inexplicably lit up and she nudged Electra excitedly. "Oh, wait! You guys will never believe what happened last night!"

"You went on a date with Malrick, right?" Electra asked, increasing her stride slightly to keep up with the other two. "How did that go?"

"It was so romantic!" Gaia gushed. "We went to dinner at another nice restaurant and then took a lovely moonlit walk in the park. And then, after all of that, we kissed!"

"Really? Sounds like it's getting pretty serious." Cynder cocked her head at Gaia, clearly mystified at the rate that her relationship had matured. "You guys don't think that you're taking it a little fast? I mean I wouldn't do something like that unless I knew the person a really long time."

Gaia could only roll her eyes. "You need to get up to the pace of the real world Cynder. And being the gentleman that he was, I was the one that had to initiate the kiss in the first place." Gaia's eyes clouded over for a moment as she relived the memory of last night. "And besides, not everyone has the luxury of knowing your soul mate for as long as you and Spyro have."

Cynder stopped, her scales going bright red. "I...I have no idea what your talking about Gaia."

Electra watched the exchange in silent interest, much preferring to listen rather than join in. Gaia meanwhile, could only smirk at the still blushing Cynder. "I only suspected before, but based on that reaction I know for sure now. I would suggest you get yourself in order though, we're coming up on the dining hall."

Electra entered the dining next to the still frazzled Cynder to see that it was utterly deserted. From what she could see of the kitchens, only one stove was running, manned by a solitary cook that must have been specifically woken just for them. Consequently, there was a very limited selection to choose from, but they all knew better than to complain. Instead, they all got their food and sat down at their usual table, joined a few minutes later by the boys.

As the half awake group pushed their way into the room, Electra preformed her usual check for white scales. And as usual, there were none to be found. As Electra returned her attention to her plate, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. But then again, she chided herself, it wasn't like Zero was likely to show up here again anyway. So why couldn't she help but feel saddened every single day when he didn't appear?

Breakfast passed uneventfully, with most of the dragons too sleepy to make any attempt at conversation. Finally, it was Spyro who noticed that the sun had finally broken over the distant mountains, signaling that it was time to head over to the courtyard. "We'd better get going you guys, don't want to keep Terrador waiting."

"Connan? Connan! Can you hear me buddy? Time to get up." Pyrus poked the ice dragon who was sitting next to him, not succeeding in eliciting a single response. After leaning forward on the table to stare in Connan's face for a few seconds, Pyrus sighed loudly. "Great, he's out cold. Now I'll have to carry him to whatever we're doing in the courtyard."

"What time did you guys get back last night?" Cynder asked.

Pyrus shrugged. "I don't know. Some time after midnight. I didn't exactly plan to be getting up this early the next morning though." Pyrus took a long breath and began to lift the sleeping dragon, but was stopped by Gaia.

"No worries, I got him." Gaia said confidently. With one deft movement, she slung Connan over her shoulder, where the still slumbering dragon hung limply. Pyrus attempted to help, but Gaia shook her head. "No, really, I got him. He's going to be just fine." Pyrus backed off, even as Connan muttered something nonsensical from his dreamland.

The dragons headed out, the only sounds the clacking of their claws against the floor and what ever occasional sounds escaped Connan's throat. They soon entered the courtyard, which was still denied the first rays of sunlight by the rest of the towering temple. Terrador was already waiting, tapping a single impatient claw on the soft grass. The dragons all assembled obediently, awaiting instruction. Gaia proceeded to shift her body weight, unceremoniously dumping Connan on the ground. He awoke with a start, staring around at his new surroundings in obvious confusion. "How the heck did I get out here?"

"May I have your attention please." Terrador presided over the assembly with large, benevolent authority as the dragons settled themselves in. "I have to say that you have all come a long way since we started this training. It is for this reason that I have decided to send all of you on a mission of the upmost importance."

There were a few scattered whispers and Electra saw Pyrus lean forward expectantly. Terrador continued. "For those of you that were not there, a few weeks ago we had to embark on a mission to rescue Cynder from a group of renegade apes called the Shadow Claws. Although we succeeded, we did not cripple them as badly as previously believed. It has recently come to my attention that they are remobilizing and preparing for what looks to be a large scale campaign against us and our allies. Due to how undermanned we currently are, you are being sent to destroy major weapons of war and kill the ape's leader once and for all."

Pyrus pumped a fist in the air, evidently pleased that he was finally getting the action he so craved. Electra could only think of the possible dangers associated with the mission. If these apes were anything like what the others had described, they could be in over their heads.

Terrador did not pause in his briefing. "Speed is extremely important as we need to ensure that these apes are dealt with before they reek too much havoc. Zero is the most knowledgeable in the terrain and will act as your guide. He will show you where the camp is and how best to approach the objectives."

Wait, what did Terrador say? About Zero? Electra looked around and saw, to her great surprise, that Zero was there, not two dozen feet away. He must of joined the group shortly after the briefing started and no one had noticed him. One peculiar thing Electra noticed though, was that Zero appeared wet, almost like he had just gotten out of a bath. Since when did he care about cleanliness?

Electra was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost missed the tail end of Terrador's briefing. "...We have rations already prepared in those bags, enough for a three day journey. I expect everyone set and ready to go in five minutes. You are dismissed."

The dragons immediately hopped to it, springing over to the indicated provision bags and sliding them on. Due to her slender form, Electra got her's on first and had to wait for the others to get the confusing series of loops and buckles figured out. Out of the corner of her eye, Electra noticed that Zero was not even bothering with a bag. He was still sitting in the same spot, idly picking some dirt off of one of his claws. After a brief moment of indecision, Electra stood up and walked toward him.

"What am I doing? What am I even going to say?" Her thoughts raced through her head as she drew ever closer. "I should just stop and turn around now before he notices me. And what am I going to say?"

Her legs carried her inexorably forward until she was just a few feet away. Thankfully, Zero was fully engrossed in eliminating the particularly stubborn bit of mud and did not immediately notice her. There was still time to walk away.

But instead, she opened her mouth and said...nothing. No words came out. She couldn't quite tell if it was that she didn't have anything to say, or just simply couldn't. It was exactly like she feared. Noticing that nothing but hollow air was coming out of her gaping mouth, she reluctantly closed it.

And then Zero noticed her standing there. He looked up and made eye contact, not saying a word. Electra opened her mouth again, but nothing came out. Zero just stared at her, raising an eyebrow as if he was telling her to get it out already. Electra could feel the verges of a blush coming on. This was her absolute worst nightmare. But she had nothing. Electra finally lowered her head, breaking the eye contact between her yellow eyes and his blue ones.

"Electra, Zero, let's get a move on. I want to go kill some apes already." Electra glanced over to see that Pyrus and the others had finally sorted the food and were waiting for the two of them. Zero moved impassively by her, stretching out his wings in the preparation of taking flight. Head lowered and still blushing furiously, Electra followed him to where the other were ready to take off. With a powerful leap, Zero catapulted himself into the sky, with all of the other dragons close behind. They did a tight circle of the courtyard before straightening out and streaking off to the north. And towards where the apes were preparing the final stages of their carefully laid plans.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 - By the Campfire

"Are we there yet? My wings hurt." Connan whined as the motley group soared across the late afternoon sky. Pyrus groaned. Once Connan started complaining, there was no shutting him up. But for once, Connan had a good point. They had been flying almost all day, with just a short stop to eat lunch. The straps of Pyrus' bag were beginning to chafe painfully against his scales and his wings were weary from the constant strain. They could all use some rest.

Tilting his wings forward, Pyrus' membranes stretched and bore him closer to the head of the loose formation, where Zero had remained leader for the entire flight. Rising his voice to be heard over the whipping winds, Pyrus shouted over to the white dragon. "Hey, we going to stop and set up camp soon or are you going to make us do it in the dark?"

Zero turned his head, gazing over his left shoulder to gauge the position of the slowly sinking sun. It would be a few hours until darkness fell, but dusk would be upon them soon. "I had planned to travel through the night." Zero shouted back, marking one of the only times Pyrus had ever heard the dragon raise his voice above the usual, calm tone.

"You can't be serious!" Connan shouted, dismayed. "I'm literally about to drop out of the sky!" To prove his point, Connan folded his wings and proceded to drop like a stone, weighed down by his heavy supply bags. After a few seconds of free-fall, Connan reopened his wings and glided back up to the others on his excess airspeed.

Gaia adjusted her wing angle until she swooped abreast of Zero. "Wait up a minute Zero, let's think about this. If we're going to be fighting for our lives tomorrow, it would be best if we were all well rested and with a good night's sleep under our belts."

"One of our primary directives is to get there quickly." Zero shot back, seemingly affronted by this unexpected opposition.

"And a fat lot of good we'll do if we're too tired to help." Cynder called down from where she and Spyro had be listening to the exchange. "Hate to say this Zero, but you've been outvoted."

Zero sullenly fell back, relinquishing the lead position. The raiding party dropped in altitude, scanning the ground for a suitable location to set up camp. Spyro watched the terrain pass by, a contemplative look on his face. "Everyone, keep an eye out for something that could be easily defendable. Like a rock outcropping, or a river bank, or..."

"How about there?" Gaia asked, pointing. They all followed her gaze to behold one of the monolithic floating islands that dotted the landscape. The missive landmass hung eerily over the lush forests below, casing a long shadow in the evening sun. "Think about it, you would need wings to get up there." Gaia cajoled. "You don't get much more defensible than that."

The dragons all exchanged glances, but no objections were raised. As one, they all turned and increased altitude to reach the plateau, many of them relived that the long day was almost over.

The island was merely another stretch of forest, not differing in the slightest to the rest of the terrain except in its altitude. A small hill rose in the center of the land mass, gently slopping the ground towards the rim of the island. They landed in a small clearing towards the center of the island, their wings finally allowed to rest for the trip. They didn't remain idle however. Pyrus, Gaia and Connan went about gathering dry firewood from the immediate area and were soon rewarded with a cheerfully crackling blaze. Spyro, Cynder and Electra gathered the team's empty water canteens and refilled them down in a nearby pond back on the mainland. Soon, almost all the dragons were gathered in a silent circle around the campfire, eating their dry, flavorless diners in silence.

Zero had vanished off into the forest almost the very instant that they landed. He reappeared two hours later, after twilight had fallen, with two brown hares firmly clamped in between his jaws. Ignoring the other dragons, he trotted over to the campfire and immediately went about skinning and cooking the meat. When he finally noticed the questioning stares directed his way, he simply stated, "Why waste energy carrying provisions when one can easily forage off of the land?"

"True," Connan said, his mouth covered in what appeared to be raspberry jam. "But there's no such thing as a pastry tree, so I think I'll pass."

This brought out a laugh from the rest of the dragons. Zero returned to his work in silence, not being able to come up with a suitable reply.

Soon, the succulent smell of cooked rabbit meat drifted around the camp. The other dragons had already eaten their fill of dinner, but the ravenous black hole that was Connan was beginning to have second thoughts. "You know, I always preferred fresh cooked meat to any of this dried jerky they always give us." Connan said as he stared dreamily at the sizzling pieces of meat. "I mean, I could really go for some nice venison right about now. A big, juicy steak that is cooked just so it's still a little pink inside, and flavored with salt, pepper and all the other spices. And served with big, fluffy rolls with a small slice of butter on top. And don't even get me started on dessert..."

This went on for a while, with Connan vividly describing every single dish of his perfect three course meal. The dragons listened with rapt attention, their stomachs already rumbling despite the food they had just eaten. Finally, Zero looked up to just stare blankly at the ice dragon. Then, almost reluctantly, he cut off a small chunk of meat from one of the rabbit's haunches and tossed it at Connan, who eagerly snapped it out of the air. Licking his lips contentedly as he settled back down, Connan let out a loud belch. "Thanks Zero, that really hit the spot." Zero's only response was to add another log to the fire.

As Spyro put away the remains of his dinner for later consumption, he noticed the small bags of red and green gems that Terrador had provided them. They were in small pouches that would allow them to be easily carried and used in combat without restricting movement. But it also somewhat limited the amount they could carry. It would be prudent to have a supply in reserve, just in case. And Spyro remembered seeing a small grove of gems on the east edge of the island when they had gone to refill the canteens.

Spyro stood up from his place in the circle, calling on the first dragon that came to mind to help him. "Hey Pyrus, could you help me gather some extra gems? Just in case."

Pyrus groaned and warily cracked open an eye from where he was sprawled a few feet away. "Why me? Couldn't you pick someone who isn't fast asleep?"

"Oh, sorry." Spyro glanced around the circle, looking for someone else to help. His eyes locked with Cynder's, who was sitting across the way, wedged between Gaia and Electra. "Hey, Cynder, would you like help me-"

"Don't bother." Pyrus got up, several of his joints popping as he stretched. "I'm awake now, so I might as well do it. Besides, it shouldn't take that long, assuming you know where we are going."

"It's just a little ways over that way." Spyro pointed and Pyrus nodded. They were about to get going when Pyrus began rummaging through his supply bags, placing most of the food in a neat pile.

"Going to need something to carry them with." He explained, hefting the now empty bag. As they left the flickering fringes of the firelight, Pyrus turned around and shouted back to the group as a new thought occurred to him. "Hey! Could someone please watch my stuff and make sure Connan doesn't mess with it?"

"Who? Me?" Connan asked, the picture of innocence. Pyrus pointed a warning finger at Connan before turning to follow Spyro into the woods.

The gems were about a five minute stumbling-through-the-dark walk from the campsite. Pyrus could see the tell-tale glow from several dozen feet away as they pushed through the whipping branches of the trees. Short, stubbly spires of crystal jutted out of the ground at all angles. There was a good mix of red and green here, both of them giving off an eerie glow in the night air. Setting the bag towards the center of the cluster, the pair set about chipping pieces of crystals off of the main groups. It was tedious work, as they each had to be careful not to accidentally absorb the gem's energy. It was silent for the first minute or so before Pyrus struck up a conversation.

"So, how are things going between you and Cynder?" Pyrus inquired as he broke off a particularly stubborn chunk of gemstone.

"Oh, ummmm, about the same as always." Spyro replied, somewhat evasively.

"Am I to take that to mean that you haven't told her yet?"

Spyro sighed. "Yeah, I guess so." It was quiet again for a few brief seconds before Spyro spoke again. "I just don't know what to do. Every single time I try to say it, I just can't. It's not that I don't want to, it's just I get so worried about what she'll say in response." Spyro paused to dump an armful of gems into the rapidly filling bag. "Listen, Pyrus, I really need some advice here."

"Well first, I'd figure out exactly what you want to say to her and get that ready for when ever the right moment is." Pyrus gave a small curse as the small shard he was holding was suddenly absorbed by his body. "I would also have a little more confidence. You're the purple dragon! You defeated Malefore after all, so you should be prepared to handle anything. Finally, I would say that timing is everything. Wait until the right moment before asking her, and I guarantee that it will yield a far better result."

The bag was full by this point, and Pyrus was busy fumbling at the straps as Spyro digested his words of wisdom. "Wow, I didn't know you were that knowledgeable on this subject Pyrus."

"Yeah, well," Pyrus said as he hoisted the now heavy bag onto his back. "I would take everything I said with a pinch of salt. After all, I've never had a girlfriend and have been shot down five...no make that six times so far."

"That many?" Spyro marveled. "You're a nice guy Pyrus, how does that work out?"

"Being nice doesn't automatically make you someone that girls look for." Pyrus unconsciously clenched his jaw together at the statement. "You need look no farther than Connan and Gaia to see that."

"Apart from that, I think it has a lot to do with were I grew up." Spyro listened as he lead the way through the forest while Pyrus panted from somewhere behind him. "I used to live in the fortress of Stone Tooth, and we were basically stuck in a perpetual siege. I swear, the only dragons girls my age were attracted to were the ones that fought to keep us safe. If you weren't up on the walls, then you could forget ever getting a date out of one of them. Not that a battlefield is the most romantic of locales."

"Why weren't you up on the walls with the others?" Spyro asked. "I'm guessing that you would have been at about the same age that I was when I first started fighting Malefore."

"Parents." Pyrus muttered. "I know they were just trying to keep me safe, but I still resented them for it. It caused me to get harassed a lot by the other kids who thought that I was a coward. That's part of the reason why I'm so good despite only being in a few actual combat situations. You had to look after yourself in Stone Tooth."

Spyro felt a pang in his heart at the fact that he would never know his real parents. There were his adoptive parents of course, and Sparx, and Spyro couldn't love them more. But he still wondered what it might have been like to meet his actual mother and father.

"Which is why I'm glad you showed up." Pyrus grinned as Spyro looked back at him. "I'm finally able to be out there on the front lines, showing what I can do. I mean, look at us, we're on a secret mission for the guardians themselves. I wish my old 'friends' could see me now."

They could see the camp now, the warm firelight shining through the trees. Pyrus silently smiled to himself as they neared the outer edge of the clearing. He was going to show everyone just exactly what he could do.

Before Pyrus could even begin to react, there was a loud whooshing sound and a large, blunt object collided with his face, hard. Pyrus was sent flying back a few feet, the loosely secured gem bag flying off of his back as he landed in a crumpled heap.

Pyrus lifted his head, his vision blurred and his ears ringing. In front of him, he could see shadows moving about in the firelight and a harsh, abrading sound pounding his ear drums. In those first confused seconds, he came to one undeniable conclusion. They were under attack.

Pyrus struggled to regain his feet, vainly attempting to identify his attacker before he struck again. He was still dazed from the blow and was unable to make out anything more than a series of dark blurs. Taking a second to collect himself, he screwed up his eyes in an attempt to regain his vision. To his relief, the ringing in his ears subsided and the repetitive sounds he was hearing resolved into... Laughter?

Pyrus' vision snapped back into focus and he saw that there were no shadowy assailants ambushing the camp. Instead, everyone (except Zero) was stuck in fits of laughter, barely able to breath. And none were laughing harder than Connan, who was curled up in a ball next to the tree that he had pulled the branch back from. "That...has got...to be... One of the best pranks ever!" Connan wheezed, small tears coming to his eyes.

Connan managed to get a hold of himself for one second and looked back to Pyrus. He managed to roll away just in time to avoid the red-hot fireball directed his way. Connan quickly scrambled to his feet and took off running, an enraged Pyrus in hot pursuit. "Come on man, it was just a joke!" Connan pleaded as they sped around the circle while the rest of the dragons watched. "I didn't even touch your stuff!"

"I'll show you what a joke is." Pyrus yelled back, black tendrils of smoke escaping his nostrils. "Just hold up a minute, it'll be real funny, I promise."

Despite being in danger of being roasted alive, Connan was still able to produce a hearty laugh. "No thank you, do you have any idea how long it takes to get soot out of these scales?"

Connan cut in sharply to avoid another well aimed fireball, dashing through the circle of highly amused spectators. But Connan's attention was back behind him, and he didn't notice the long, white tail laying directly in front of him until it was too late. With cry of surprise, Connan went tumbling, rolling head over heels a few times before landing directly in the campfire, sending a flurry of sparks skywards. With a pained yelp, Connan leap out of the flames and back on to the cool grass.

The dragons all roared with laughter as Connan carefully sat down a few paces away. After swatting a still burning ember off of himself, he blew a cold mist over his singed backside in an effort to cool down the scales. Once he was finished, he looked over to see Pyrus doubled over a little ways away. "What, not going to try and barbecue me anymore?"

Pyrus shook his head. "No, I would say you did a pretty good job of that yourself."

"It wasn't my fault." Connan pouted. "He tripped me."

"You were not paying attention to where you were running." Zero replied evenly. "It is a trait that could easily get you killed in battle."

"Don't you try to pull that on me." Connan said, pointing an accusatory finger. "You moved your tail in the way on purpose."

"And what reason would I have for wanting to deliberately trip you?" Zero's face gave no hint of emotion as he stared at the injured ice dragon.

"Oh, I don't know," Connan said as he ran a talon along one of his horns. "I think you've always been jealous of my stunningly good looks."

"Hardly." Zero said as he set about to returning the fire to its pre-Connan state.

Cynder's laughter slowly died down as she watched Spyro and Pyrus finally resume their seat across the circle. Suddenly, she heard a quiet giggling next to her and she turned to see Electra unsuccessfully attempting to suppress renewed laughter. Reaching over, Cynder gently nudged the pitch black dragoness. "Hey, what's so funny?"

Electra jumped slightly at the contact, but relaxed once she saw it was only Cynder. "Oh, it's nothing." Electra shook her head. "It's just that I saw Zero move his tail in the way just before Connan reached him."

Cynder smiled and returned to her previous position, marveling at the fact that somewhere deep down inside him, Zero appreared to have a sense of humor. As she relaxed again, another thought popped into Cynder's head. Why had Electra been staring at Zero anyways? Cynder dismissed the thought and filed it away for later perusal.

Soon after, they let the fire die down and laid down to sleep, all of them briefly staring at the starry sky and wondering what the next day would bring.

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If Pyrus thought being out of the temple would finally earn him a full nights sleep, he was sorely mistaken. As it turned out, Zero took it upon himself to rouse all of the dragon almost before dawn broke to resume their journey. After a few drowsy minutes of putting out the smoldering embers and repacking their supplies, the group was ready to set off.

They made good time and it was just before noon when Zero's valley finally came into sight. Tall mountains surrounded the valley on all sides, giving it a secluded feeling. A single river sliced straight on through, the cold water providing all the nourishment that the trees could want for. High above them, Pyrus could see a solitary eagle circling, searching for prey. In all, Pyrus was impressed by the bountiful location that Zero had spent most of the past who-knew-how-many years.

Soon, Zero angled in for a descent, the rest of the dragons following suite. They landed without a sound on the soft forest floor, carefully peering around the dark trees. There was something wrong with the valley, something Pyrus couldn't quite put a finger on. Finally, he realized what was missing. The forest was deathly silent, no birds, rabbits, or other wildlife to speak off. All was quite.

"So where are they?" Pyrus whispered. "Where are the apes."

"About two miles downstream." Zero replied, not bothering to lower his voice.

"Then why did we land all the way up here?" Gaia hissed. "We're suppose to attack them, are we not?"

Zero took a second to regain his bearing before setting off at a brisk pace into the forest. "To escape detection. They would immediately spot us if we flew any closer."

"But walking sucks." Connan complained as he followed Zero into the woods. "It's like flying, but way slower."

"Shhhh." Cynder held a paw up to Connan's mouth to silence him. "Keep it down, there could be patrols nearby and we don't want to tip them off." Connan grumbled, but didn't reply.

Pyrus was getting edgy. He never liked the anticipation of the fight, he much preferred to just dive into it. To help divert his thoughts, he sped up until he was almost level with Zero. "So, tell me, about how long have the apes been camped here?"

"About two weeks." Zero replied, never taking his eyes off of the surroundings.

Pyrus nodded. "Great, that probably means there's going to be some fortifications to deal with. Did you see any last time you were here?"

Zero gave a minuet shake of the head. "No, they seemed unconcerned with the possibility of an attack. Even early on, they only seemed interested in offensive weaponry."

Pyrus was about to ask another question, but a single phrase from Zero's response caught his attention. "Early on? How long have you known about this little encampment anyway?"

"Two weeks." Zero responded blandly.

Pyrus almost lost it. "What! You mean that you knew that the apes were set up here for the past two weeks, and you waited until now to tell us!?"

The group came to halt. Zero continued on a few paces before realizing that the rest of the dragons were no longer in tow. The rest of the group looked just as shocked and indignant as Pyrus felt. "What were you thinking?" Gaia exclaimed. "We could have put a stop to this long ago if you just talked to us!"

"She's right Zero." Cynder stepped forward, her nostrils flaring. Zero still hadn't turned back around to face the rest of them. "Because you didn't tell us, the apes are now reorganized and are a serious threat once again. Innocent lives could be at stake, and it would be your fault for not saying anything until you happened to get hurt by them or because you just decided you wanted your cave back. I don't have any idea why you withheld this information, but I can see it wasn't for any benevolent reason." Cynder shook her head, disgusted by the selfish act.

"Because," Zero finally turned around to face the accusatory stares. His voice was slightly lower than usual, slightly darker. "When I first saw them two weeks ago, they weren't building weapons. They were gathering food, collecting water, and setting up shelters, the same things that need to be completed for both military and peaceful settlements. I also thought their previous leader dead, and the one who replaced him seemed to genuinely care for the lives of his men. I would have thought that he would see that continued conflict with dragons would only lead to their annihilation. In short, I was giving them a second chance, something you of all dragons should appreciate, Cynder."

And with that, Zero turned back around and stalked off into the woods, albeit at a slightly faster pace. After a few moments of stunned silence, the rest of the dragons followed in his wake, each processing the implications of Zero's words. Cynder dropped to the rear of the group, looking stung by the diatribe. Spyro quickly dropped back to join her. "Cynder, are you ok?"

Cynder sighed. "I'm fine Spyro, it's just that in a way, Zero's right. He was prepared to accept the possibility that not all apes are always looking for a fight, and that they aren't all looking for blood. I have a feeling that if he told us sooner, we ran the risk of destroying a perfectly peaceful town and reigniting the conflict."

"I guess he decided to wait until he had proof that they were up to no good before telling us." Spyro looked ahead to where the white dragon was cutting a path through the brush. "It strikes me that I never had thought that apes could be capable of being peaceful, did you?"

"In my army, there was no choice." Cynder said bitterly. "You either fought or died. My memories are a little hazy, but I do remember that a few of the protesting clans said that war with the dragons would kill to many of their brethren. I executed them for that."

"Now Cynder, you weren't in control-"

"Spyro, am I a good person?" Cynder asked suddenly.

Spyro was taken aback by the unexpected question. "What are you talking about Cynder? You know that what you did for Malefore wasn't your fault."

"I know, but I mean after you freed me. Am I really trying to do right by the best of my abilities?" Cynder was staring at him now, pleading for him to tell her that she was.

Spyro strode closer and wrapped a wing around her, going on what he felt was the best thing to do. He felt the warmth of her scales against his, the two of them inside their own little world. "Cynder, you are the best person that I know. Even after all you have been through, I've seen you risk yourself numerous times to help those who might hate you, with no intention of getting a reward. And I know that given the chance, you could find it in you to forgive our enemies. Don't be so down on yourself, I'm here for you."

Cynder didn't immediately respond, but then, to Spyro's astonishment, she pressed herself up against him. "Thanks Spyro, I needed that." She muttered, quietly enjoying the closeness to the purple dragon.

They were brought out of their moment of bliss when they almost collided with Electra, who had suddenly stopped moving. Craning his neck, Spyro saw what had caused the group to come to a halt. A little ways ahead of them, the tree line thinned out into a large clearing. A multitude of stumps sat dejectedly, their lives cut short by the blade of a saw. Yellow sawdust covered the heavily trampled ground, so much so that it was nearly impossible to see any green. It was a scene of utter devastation.

From up in front where he had halted the strike force, Zero spoke in low, whispered tone. "Camp is on the other side of here. Stick to the trees, stay low and watch where you step." Zero's posture instantly changed to that of a hunter's, low to the ground and with each foot carefully placed ahead of the previous. Working quickly, the other dragons disengaged themselves from their travel bags (except for the gem pouches of course) and, following his example, they began working their way around the logging site. Cynder felt Spyro withdraw his comforting wing and she instantly felt like a part of herself had been taken away as well. With a shake of the head, she put those emotions aside. There was work to be done.

It took the dragons a good fifteen minutes to circumnavigate the clearing, each footfall carefully placed as to not make a sound. Zero was arguably the best at this and was already a good ways ahead of the others, scanning for any signs of hostiles. But the area was just as silent and still as the rest of the valley, giving no indication that a large camp was just up ahead. Cynder jumped as she heard a twig snap, but it was only a bad misstep by Connan, who was immediately punished with a set of angry glares. Finally, Cynder could see the grey outlines of tents poking through the trees.

The dragons settled themselves into a row of bushes along the edge of the trees, carefully observing the suspiciously empty camp. "Where are they? Did we come all this way for nothing?" Connan muttered.

"I can't sense anything moving about through the ground." Gaia said after a moment of contemplation.

"Could it be a trap?" Spyro wondered out loud. They all jumped at the rustling of bushes, but it was only Zero standing up and walking headlong into the camp.

"What are you doing? It could be an ambush!" Pyrus hissed after Zero.

"Unlikely." Zero stopped and did a quick survey of the camp. "The siege weapons are gone, they have already moved on."

One by one, the other dragons slowly broke cover and cautiously tread into the camp. But no screaming horde of apes charged out to meet them, there was only the prevailing silence. "If they left, why would they leave so much stuff behind?" Cynder wondered as she examined a set of neatly sharpened swords resting against one of the tents. "A lot of this stuff looks useful."

"Great, looks like we missed our window of opportunity." Gaia sounded both disappointed and angry, and it was no mystery to whom her comment was directed at.

Cynder glanced over to Zero, trying to see if he cared to respond. Instead, the dragon appeared to very intent on staring at the ground, bending down to get a better look at something. "Interesting." He said, engrossed at whatever he was doing.

"Care to share?" Pyrus asked. "Or are we going to have to wait another two weeks to find out what is so interesting."

"The deep ruts here were created from moving the siege weapons." Zero explained, ignoring the jibe. "And from my estimate, they are several days old. But all the boot prints that I can see are much fresher, some only being a few hours old. Also," Zero pointed to a set of smaller scratches dug into the mud. "I don't recognize these ones at all. And I know most of the local wildlife that used to be in this valley."

Connan scratched his head. "So what's it all mean?"

"The siege weapons were moved, but the apes stayed in the camp." Zero muttered, talking more to himself than any of the others. "The only reason that I can think of is that they wanted to keep the siege weapons safe, or to put them in a place so that they could be readily accessed if the need arises..."

As she listened to Zero's musings, Cynder felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned around to see Electra standing next to her, trying to get her attention. "Yes Electra, what is it?"

"I, uh, well... It's um." Electra tried to form a sentence, but her social anxiety was getting the better of her. After turning a blackish shade of red, Electra just pointed off into the distance. Cynder looked and saw a small pillar of black smoke raising through the air.

"Everyone, look! Over there!" All the other dragons looked up and took in the black stain against the horizon.

"I'm guessing that's about where the nearest town is?" Spyro asked.

Zero nodded an affirmative.

"Then what are we waiting for!? We have to go help!" Gaia shouted, galvanizing them into action. The group leaped into the air, quickly speeding their way off to the source of the the smoke before it was too late.

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"This is stupid." One of the ape soldiers grumbled. "Why don't we just march in there and take the town? We have all the catapults ready and everything."

"Because that's against orders." Another soilder snarled. "You don't want to end up like those archers, do you?"

"Both of you, quiet." Silence immediately followed and Blood Claw resumed his circuit. The apes feared Drakken, but for Blood Claw most of them had nothing but the upmost respect. Blood Claw was there, always fighting by their side. He was one of them, a solider.

Blood Claw fiddled with the handle of his battle axe as he stared out to the dragon village, just visible through the trees. He couldn't say he was looking forward to the coming battle, one in which he was sure many of his men would die. But Drakken had talked at length at how the moral of the war-weary dragons would crumble once their savior fell. After that, it would be a relatively simple task to sneak into the chaos-consumed city and assassinate the guardians, their final obstacle to success. Blood Claw didn't know how they would take the city yet, but he gathered that it would probably have something to do with the Shade. He would learn of that in due time though. After all, Drakken was a military genius, always looking for the best way to defeat the enemy.

In retrospect, it was due to this combative narrow-mindedness that Blood Claw was still alive. When Drakken had come to the camp Blood Claw had established, he had seen apes felling and cutting trees. He had immediately assumed they were the beginnings of the catapults that were now positioned on a ridge overlooking the town. In truth, they were meant to be the start of new, permanent housing for Blood Claw's tired troops.

Blood Claw saw things differently from most apes, and it wasn't just because of his missing eye. As a commander, he always gave first priority to his men. And while he had been confident they could win before, the disastrous raid by the accursed guardians destroyed much of their only tactical advantage. Apart from Blood Claw and Drakken, only two other apes had complete malatrite armor. The only way they would beat the dragons now was through superior tactical skill, and that's exactly what Drakken was known for, lives of the apes below him be damned.

Blood Claw stopped walking, not for the first time wondering what would happen if Drakken was disposed of. But it was impossible. Drakken was just too good a fighter to be taken out in a formal duel or even in full blown combat for that matter. And any lowly assassination would almost certainly alienate many of the apes in the clan. They would just have to make due until he finally curled up and died of old age.

Blood Claw would just have to use more careful, localized leadership to ensure that this venture didn't leave too many of them dead. After all, he was just a solider, and soldiers followed orders.

Suddenly, a whisper went through the standing army. The signal. "Everyone down." Blood Claw ordered. The troops nearest him obeyed instantly, the ones around them following suit until the whole company was laying prone on the ground. One could almost hear a pin drop in the absolute silence that followed. Then, faintly, Blood Claw could hear it. The flapping of wings.

A series of colorful streaks blew past their position in rapid succession, making a beeline for the still smoking town. Blood Claw counted seven dragons in all, most prominent among them was the famed purple dragon, Spyro. So, he had brought some friends along, including the spy that had evaded them last time. It would be of no matter, they would soon end up like the rest.

The apes around him shifted positions, anxiously adjusting their grip on their weapons. "Remember, follow the plan, and we'll all get out of this." Blood Claw reassured those nearest him. They all relaxed slightly and nodded, eyes glued on the town. Blood Claw's armor clinked as he stared at the town as well, just barely making out the shapes of the dragons touching down. Any second now...

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Sypro's wings burned from the exertion, but he didn't stop. They were almost to the town now, the black plume looming in front of them. As they cleared the last trees that surrounded the town, Spyro looked around desperately for the source of the disturbance.

It was a small enough place, there couldn't be more than fifty citizens. A set of trails spread out of the town, heading off in every direction except the one that they were coming from. A single main road lead from the town center off into the distance. The tallest building appeared to be a stout stone hall, with a massive bell tower over looking the providence. The rest of the town constituted mainly of small, one or two story homes that were simple, but cozy.

But the thing that surprised Spyro the most was that everything looked... normal. There was no panic in the streets, no sounds of fighting. Spyro could see many dragons meandering down in the streets below, casually going about their business and occasionally pausing to scrutinize the approaching dragons. As a matter a fact, there was only one thing that looked out of place. A house of the far side of the town had a large cluster of the citizens around it, large clouds of smoke still pouring out of one side.

As one, the dragons angled down to land next to the crowd. There was a stunned silence as the townsfolk took in the newcomers, expressions of shock all around. With out pause, Spyro began pushing his way through the crowds, the others close behind.

"Wait, is that the purple dragon?" "What's he doing here?" "I can't believe it, it's really him!" Whispers circulated around the crowd, many jostling and pushing to get a better view of the dragon. With one final push, Spyro broke out of the other side of the crowd to stand next to the house.

One side of the humble abode was completely blackened, the wood scorched and burnt. A few of the local ice dragons stood around, carefully dousing the last embers with small, chilling breaths. Everything seemed in order.

"What, did we miss all the action?" Pyrus asked, searching for any signs of conflict. There were none.

"Hello and welcome to our little town of Nora." A loud boisterous voice called out of the continued mutterings. A large, dark brown dragon pushed his way to the front of the crowd to beam down at the small group. Or, more accurately, Spyro.

"I had asked the guardians to send a compliment of troops to help us against the possibility of a grublin attack, but I never imagined that we would be graced with the presence of our savior." The dragon bowed low, still addressing Spyro. "My name's Thaldor, how may we help you, savior?"

"Aren't you under attack?" Spyro asked. "We saw the smoke and thought the worst."

"Oh no, of course not." Thaldor said, a wide smile still on his lips. "I assure you that we have the situation well in hand. A lit candle probably just tipped over somewhere inside, nothing to worry about." For the first time, Thaldor's smile flickered and his eyes darted around nervously. "Why did you think that we had been attacked? Are there grublin bands nearby?"

"No but there is a huge horde of apes just up the valley." Pyrus cut in, slightly annoyed at being so deliberately snubbed.

Thaldor laughed, his usual merriment returning. "I believe you are quite mistaken there my friend." Thaldor cocked his head, seemingly noticing the rest of the group for the first time. "Nothing lives up in the northern valley except for the ghost dragon. And we haven't heard from him in a long time."

From somewhere behind him, Spyro heard Zero shift somewhat uncomfortably. That explained how Zero had managed to remain undisturbed so close to a post of civilization. But there were more pressing matters to worry about. "Pyrus is right Thaldor. Everyone here is in great danger, you have to leave now!"

Thaldor's grin vanished completely. "Now savior, I have nothing but the upmost respect for you, but I feel that your friend over there is quite misinformed. I repeat, nothing is going to-"

The house exploded into a shockwave of splinters and rumble. Everyone immediately threw themselves to the ground, many yelling as they sustained mild cuts from various debris while the house collapsed in on itself. Almost simultaneously, several more boulders crashed down, leaving wide craters in the street and leveling another house.

Spyro struggled to his feet, his scales covered in a thin film of dust. All around him, he could hear panicked screams as the other citizens all scattered before the onslaught. Only, there was no where to run.

Emerging from the tree line all around the town, droves of screaming apes charged, weapons lowered. A bloodcurdling screech rent the air and Spyro looked up to see the skies were no longer theirs. Several dozen shapes blotted the sky, the leathery wings beating against the air viciously. The apes were backed up by both dreadwings and artillery. And then, it hit him. While they had been so worried about an ambush at the ape's camp, they had walked headlong into the real one.


End file.
